Ricciardo’s Red Bull Return in Doubt as Jordan Questions Form

Formula 1 veteran Daniel Ricciardo’s desire for a return to his former Red Bull seat seems to be hitting roadblocks, with doubts emerging about his current form early in the season. 

Despite his eagerness to rejoin the team he left over five years ago to avoid being overshadowed by rising star Max Verstappen, former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan remains unconvinced about Ricciardo’s capabilities.

The Australian driver’s return to Red Bull’s fold last year and subsequent contract renewal for this season was seen as an opportunity to vie for Sergio Perez’s seat. 

However, Ricciardo’s performances thus far have failed to live up to expectations, leading to concerns about his future in the sport.

Perez’s strong start to the season, marked by consecutive podium finishes, contrasts sharply with Ricciardo’s lackluster performances, leaving him without a single point after the initial races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. 

Moreover, Ricciardo’s inability to challenge for a top-10 finish alongside teammate Yuki Tsunoda’s promising pace has raised doubts about his competitiveness.

Reflecting on Ricciardo’s recent struggles, Jordan voiced his apprehensions on his Formula For Success podcast, questioning whether the 34-year-old still possesses the skills that once made him a standout driver. 

While acknowledging Ricciardo’s charisma and value to a team, Eddie Jordan emphasized the importance of performance on the track, hinting at a potential replacement if improvements aren’t made soon.

“[Ricciardo] is a magic guy to have in a team, but that doesn’t give you the right to be the driver in the team. I’m just worried that the end of McLaren era was really something that stood out and I couldn’t see where he’d lost it.”

“There has been nothing since then that convinces me that I would want to invest my hard-earned sponsorship cash to keep Daniel.”

”He needs a result more than anyone perhaps, and he needs to get it together. Because otherwise he is going to be replaced and he can understand why he would be replaced because the performance is just not there.”

Jordan’s sentiments echo those of Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko, who publicly urged Ricciardo to step up his game. With emerging talents like Oliver Bearman making waves in the sport, Ricciardo finds himself under increasing pressure to deliver results and secure his place in the competitive world of Formula 1.

“I mean, he shouldn’t be spinning the car, he shouldn’t be getting himself out of sequence in a pit stop. You don’t see Max doing done, you don’t see other people doing that.”

“So, Daniel as much as we absolutely adore him and I think he’s a huge asset for Formula 1, the stopwatch never lies and the stopwatch in terms of Daniel, the question marks are out there.”

“When we see people like Oliver Bearman coming in like the way he did, people like Daniel Ricciardo will have to look over his shoulders and say, ‘How much time have I left here?'”

As Ricciardo navigates the challenges of the current season, the spotlight remains firmly on his performance, with his future at Red Bull hanging in the balance. Will the Australian driver reclaim his former glory, or will his aspirations for a Red Bull return be dashed by his current struggles on the track? Only time will tell.