Martin Brundle Critiques Daniel Ricciardo’s Decline Post-Red Bull Departure Amid Villeneuve’s Harsh Comments

Martin Brundle shares his opinion on the Daniel Ricciardo controversy: ‘He’s not the same driver anymore’

Martin Brundle comments on Daniel Ricciardo following criticism from Jacques Villeneuve.

Renowned Formula 1 commentator Martin Brundle has shared his thoughts on the recent criticism directed at Daniel Ricciardo, expressing his regret that the Australian driver ever departed from Red Bull.

In 2018, Ricciardo made headlines when he decided to part ways with Red Bull, feeling exasperated by the team's favoritism towards Max Verstappen.

Although Ricciardo experienced a fair amount of success with Renault, especially in 2020, his situation deteriorated after moving to McLaren.

Over the two seasons at Woking, Lando Norris outperformed Ricciardo, leading to Ricciardo being replaced by Oscar Piastri for 2023.

Upon his return to Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing, he has faced difficulties, often finding himself outperformed by Yuki Tsunoda.

Expressing his opinion on Ricciardo's performance following Jacques Villeneuve's critique during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.

In his post-Canadian Grand Prix column, Brundle stated: "To clarify, since it has become a widely discussed issue following the strong opinions shared by my Sky Sports F1 colleague, Jacques Villeneuve.

"I deeply respect all Formula 1 drivers, particularly Daniel and Jacques, as I understand the immense difficulty of handling such powerful vehicles while being in the public eye."

Daniel has achieved victory in eight Grand Prix races, highlighted by a remarkable win in Monaco, secured 32 podium finishes, and consistently demonstrated exceptional skill.

"However, those outcomes occurred some time ago, and I regret that he decided to depart from Red Bull at the close of 2018. His choice was driven by emotions and was not the best decision. He should have stayed to compete against Max in the top-performing car, which would have inevitably pushed him to elevate his performance even more."

Brundle thinks that Ricciardo hasn't been "quite the same driver" since he departed from Red Bull.

"He mentioned that Ricciardo never really appeared to be the same driver after that."

He evidently retains his speed and racing skills, as demonstrated during the Miami Sprint. However, there seems to be a mental or strategic barrier hindering his performance, which is affecting his chances and career longevity.

Explore Further

Breaking News

Recent Headlines

Site Map

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

It is prohibited to reproduce this text, photographs, or illustrations, either in whole or in part, in any manner.