Helmut Marko issues brutal Daniel Ricciardo verdict as new Red Bull theory emerges
By Oliver Harden,
5 hours ago
Thursday’s fast-paced F1 news features Helmut Marko’s brutal reaction to Daniel Ricciardo’s exit, with the Red Bull driver claiming the Australian was fortunate to receive a second chance in Formula 1.
Let’s rush through the day’s main headlines at breakneck speed…
F1 news: Helmut Marko on Daniel Ricciardo and more
Helmut Marko believes “nobody else” apart from Red Bull would have given Daniel Ricciardo a second chance in F1, claiming the Australian only produced two good performances following his mid-2023 comeback.
Ricciardo was dropped by Red Bull junior team VCARB last week, with Liam Lawson stepping in for the final six races of F1 2024.
Marko has claimed Ricciardo simply lacked pace and consistency, with only two races since his return – Mexico 2023 and this year’s Miami sprint – offering hope that he could recapture his best form.
Christian Horner fears Daniel Ricciardo struggled with age
Christian Horner believes Daniel Ricciardo struggled to adapt to trickier F1 cars as he got older, with experienced drivers “less accomodating” of machinery that doesn’t meet their normal standards.
Ricciardo admitted after his final F1 race in Singapore that he has struggled to keep up with F1’s new breed, with advances in technology – including the rise of driver-in-the-loop simulators – making it easier for younger drivers to adjust to the pinnacle of motorsport.
Having shone against Sebastian Vettel in his early days at Red Bull, Horner fears Ricciardo was “spoiled” by “preconceptions of how a car should be” as his career developed.
Daniel Ricciardo ‘properly wound up’ by Jacques Villeneuve criticism
Christian Horner has revealed how Daniel Ricciardo was “properly wound up” by Jacques Villeneuve’s criticism over the Canadian Grand Prix.
Ricciardo and Villeneuve were embroiled in an entertaining back and forth throughout the Montreal weekend in June, with the 1997 World Champion claiming the Australian’s “image” was the only thing keeping him in F1.
Ricciardo responded by collecting his first points in a grand prix all season, with Horner left convinced that Villeneuve’s comments had “spurred him on.”
Two senior figures within the FIA have departed, with their exits being announced internally in recent days.
The FIA has lost two senior officials, with Director of Communications Luke Skipper and Secretary General for Mobility Jacob Bangsgaard both leaving for new opportunities elsewhere.
Earlier this year, Deborah Mayer departed the FIA from her role as head of the Women in Motorsport Commission while, in May, the FIA’s first CEO, Natalie Robyn, resigned having been appointed in late 2022 as part of a restructuring of the governing body’s management.
The latest departures at the FIA come after a fresh wave of controversy surrounding president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who has accused the British media of “convicting me.”
The FIA president has been a controversial figure at the helm of F1’s governing body, with drivers across motorsport taking a stand against the FIA after a swearing row involving Max Verstappen at the recent Singapore Grand Prix.
Ben Sulayem spoke of his “respect” for Verstappen before claiming the British media have “convicted me.”
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