The Australian driver finds himself in a challenging position, currently occupying 18th place overall in the standings. Daniel Ricciardo’s performance in the 2024 season has been lackluster thus far.
He entered the season with high hopes, having been brought in midway through the previous season to replace Nyck de Vries. However, his momentum was halted by a wrist injury that sidelined him for most of the races until the final stretch.
This season marked a fresh beginning for Ricciardo and his team, following their rebranding from AlphaTauri to VCARB. The rebrand also signaled a closer collaboration with Red Bull, sparking optimism that the team could elevate itself to a solid midfield contender.
Despite these aspirations, Ricciardo has encountered difficulties adjusting to the new car. As the Miami Grand Prix approaches, he finds himself among seven drivers who have yet to earn a single point.
In stark contrast, his teammate Yuki Tsunoda has amassed seven points this season, highlighting Ricciardo’s struggles.
Despite his challenges with car performance, Red Bull continues to express confidence in Ricciardo’s abilities. Team principal Laurent Mekies reiterated this confidence, affirming that Ricciardo still possesses the same potential he demonstrated during the 2023 season.
“Yeah, absolutely. It’s the DNA of our job to try to identify what car set-up is needed for both the car and the drivers to perform at their best, and that is what we are doing with both our drivers,” Mekies stated to Autosport.
“We have seen a strong growth from Yuki and we are seeing a Daniel getting back on his trajectory.”
Mekies acknowledges the role that bad luck has played in Ricciardo’s challenging start to the season. The Australian endured a setback during the Chinese Grand Prix when he was forced to retire after being rear-ended by Lance Stroll, despite showing promising form that weekend by starting in 12th position.
Continuing the conversation, Mekies highlights a positive trend in Ricciardo’s performance since the race in Saudi Arabia. “Already in Saudi, we were starting to see stuff that made us understand how to support him better,” Mekies noted. “So yeah, the trajectory is good.”
“We have not reached the finish line there and we have a few things mid-term coming to help him feel better in the car and to make sure that our car suits his driving style the best.
“But certainly it will be a good confidence boost to see that there is tangible progress like we saw over [the China] weekend.”
Ricciardo’s challenging start to the season has faced scrutiny, with the No.3 driver coming under considerable criticism. Despite this, Mekies commends Ricciardo for his dedication to returning to top form.
He emphasizes that amidst the negativity surrounding Ricciardo’s performance, both the driver and the team are diligently working towards a comeback.
“Unlike what is perhaps perceived from the outside, during all this difficult start to the season, he has been very focused, very calm, very rational about it,” Mekies stated.
“We looked at the limitations of the car, and what he needed to go faster. Some of the steps you can do quickly, but first you need to understand it. Then once you have understood, some of the steps you can act quickly, and some others will take more time.
“We have tried to tick as many boxes as we could, but we certainly don’t stop here.”
