Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has backed Daniel Ricciardo's 'fightback' after a disappointing start to the 2024 F1 season that left his future in serious doubt.
Ricciardo has made no secret of his desire to return to Red Bull's senior team since regaining his grid spot last summer, but a broken hand sustained in a crash during practice at the Dutch Grand Prix halted his progress in mid-2023. Interrupted.
Christian Horner talks about Daniel Ricciardo's 2024 F1 predicament
Despite impressing during Liam Lawson's absence, Ricciardo remained with the new RB team in 2024, but struggled alongside teammate Hiroki Tsunoda in the opening four races of the new season.
Tsunoda has scored points in the final two races in Australia and Japan, earning him a third consecutive Q3 appearance, while Ricciardo has failed to finish higher than 12th so far this season.
Despite showing improved pace in qualifying, Ricciardo set a new season low when he retired on the opening lap at Suzuka last weekend after a collision with Alex Albon's Williams.
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PlanetF1.com understands that suggestions that Ricciardo's seat is in immediate danger are premature, and the Australian will receive a new chassis at next weekend's Chinese Grand Prix to get his season back on track. I'm trying desperately to get it back.
Horner oversaw Ricciardo's peak years at Red Bull from 2014 to 2018 before two ill-fated moves to Renault and McLaren, and there is plenty of time left to turn things around.34 He supported Ricardo's success in his career.
According to Motorsport-Total, he said: “Daniel is a big boy and has been around for a long time. He knows how things work.
“All he needs is a good result and then the smiles will come back.
“I'm sure he'll fight back. We're still in race four.”
Horner's comments came after former F1 driver Thierry Bouton said it was “very sad to see” Ricciardo suffering so much.
In an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com's Thomas Maher, he said:
“When he was at McLaren and even now, he has a good car. He has a car that can perform and create bright moments. But he doesn't do that. plug.
“So it's very sad to see him in this position. I think his talent is certainly there. He's proven that in the past. But there's something else. He cannot use it because the is holding him down.
“From the outside, you can't see what's going on.
“If I'm a team manager and I'm trying to make the team win, I want a driver who doesn't have psychological issues or pressure, who is just there to win and does everything to win.
“You have to put everything aside and focus on just one thing. If you have any problems, somehow you won't be able to give your 100 percent.
“That's not what F1 needs. You don't deserve to be in the seat in this situation.”
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