Ricciardo Hopes to ‘Stay Smiling’ as Red Bull’s Strong Start Fuels Speculation on Future

Amid swirling rumors, Daniel Ricciardo remains optimistic about maintaining a positive outlook following Red Bull's impressive early performance. Ricciardo is hopeful that Red Bull can carry their striking early momentum into the qualifying rounds in Singapore.

Daniel Ricciardo aims to "keep smiling" following Red Bull's strong performance at the start of the F1 Singapore Grand Prix weekend.

Both Red Bull drivers were among the top 10 in both of Friday's practice sessions, making for a highly promising and impressive beginning to the weekend in Singapore.

Yuki Tsunoda secured a spot in the top four during the second practice session, with Daniel Ricciardo placing sixth, narrowly missing out on fifth by just 0.004 seconds to McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who was positioned between the two Red Bull drivers.

“It was a fantastic day for both of us working together,” Ricciardo mentioned to F1TV.

"This afternoon, we finished in fourth and sixth place. The competition was very tight, with four of us separated by just two hundredths of a second."

“We are quite pleased with the car, though it could use a bit of adjustment.”

"It was great to find ourselves in the leading position. It seems we have a solid setup this time."

"The previous occasions we raced with high downforce were at Zandvoort and Budapest. We performed well at those tracks. This circuit might also be favorable for our vehicle, as it requires larger wings and aligns with this type of layout."

"We expected to perform well in Baku, but we didn't due to having low downforce."

"The high downforce configuration might be more favorable for us. Let's hope it stays that way tomorrow so we can keep smiling and exclaiming 'fantastic!'"

Ricciardo and Red Bull's improved performance this weekend coincides with widespread rumors concerning the 35-year-old Australian's future.

Ricciardo is vying with Red Bull's backup driver Liam Lawson for the last available spot alongside Tsunoda for the 2025 season. However, there are speculations that Ricciardo might be dismissed before the upcoming race.

On Thursday, he confessed that he is uncertain about keeping his position, but anticipates finding out after this weekend’s race in Singapore.

Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle firmly believes that the Singapore Grand Prix will be Daniel Ricciardo's last race in his current position.

According to Brundle, it seems that Daniel will not be driving in the Austin Grand Prix, but he will still be associated with Red Bull.

"They are interested in observing Liam Lawson's performance for several reasons. Had Daniel performed better this season, it would have significantly impacted not only the secondary team at RB but also the main team at Red Bull."

"It hasn't turned out the way he hoped. I don't anticipate seeing him in the car in Austin."

Explore Further

Sign Up for Our F1 Newsletter

Receive the newest updates, exclusive content, interviews, and special offers from the world of F1 straight to your email.

For additional details, please refer to our Privacy Policy

Recent Updates

Additional Updates

Website Map

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

Copying text, images, or drawings, whether in whole or in part, is prohibited in any manner.