Ricciardo seems pretty chilled about his future prospects
Daniel Ricciardo says he “change the narrative” on his future at the VCARB Formula 1 team if he can “kick ass” in the coming races.
Ricciardo has had a difficult season thus far with the Faenza team, and with reserve driver Liam Lawson waiting in the wings and widely-tipped to take his seat he is under pressure to raise his game.
Indeed Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has made it clear that there’s a good chance that Lawson will replace Ricciardo as VCARB returns to being a team focussed on young drivers.
However Ricciardo says he’s paid little attention to Marko’s comments.
“I’ve become really good at not reading things,” he said. “So actually I didn’t know about it until I was told when I got here! I don’t feel one way or another about it.
“I still know that the overriding thing in this sport is performance, like that’s it, and that’s what will give me my best chance of staying here. I know that it’s not going to be my smile, or anything else. It’s the on-track stuff.
“So I’ve obviously got a good opportunity, I’d say, until the summer break. I don’t think that’s a deadline, but obviously that’s what you look at for the first half the season. So yeah, try to do what I can, and obviously help my cause.”
Last year a test at Silverstone in July gave Red Bull the opportunity assess Ricciardo, and he was soon drafted into AlphaTauri as replacement for Nyck de Vries.
Lawson has a test in a 2022 car at Imola at Imola in July, but Ricciardo isn’t too worried about history repeating itself.
“I believe it’s been planned for a while,” he said when asked about the Lawson test by this writer. “But in any case, it’s one of those ones where, I think also the older you get, you understand that you can control the controllables.
“If Liam goes and has an amazing test, 100% good for Liam. I’ve got no control over that. Or do I wish him poorly? Not at all. Obviously, currently, I’m in the race seat, so I’ve got to do everything I can to control the things I can.
“And if I kick ass here, if I kick ass in Silverstone, then I think the narrative can change. I think that’s where I obviously have to own that, and be on top of what I can do. I’m sure qualifying fifth in Montreal made Helmut smile.
“If I can do that a few more times, I’m sure I’ll make it small. It’s still so heavily on performance, just keep focused on that.”
Ricciardo says he’s been happy with his recent form: “I look back at Barcelona, and it’s hard to get excited about the 15th, but I actually was really happy with my race, so I would say it’s at least now two better weekends in a row.
“I think that’s what I’ve certainly had trouble doing this year, is having a kind of string of good results. Two is still not enough, of course, at least for where I want to be. But now we have two more ahead.
“I definitely have a chance to get into the summer break with some momentum, and on the Helmut stuff honestly, it’s fine, it doesn’t change let’s say what I’m going to do.”
Ricciardo is not worried about losing out as other seats start to fill up before the summer break: “I don’t want to be casual about it, because obviously I care a lot, but I don’t know, maybe I’m at a point where it’s just like, what will be, and I’m just going to put everything I can on the table, from effort and performance, and if that is good enough to secure me a seat, great.
“If not, then, okay, I did everything I could. But I think in terms of the musical chairs stuff, I think if I get focused on that… I need to put all my attention here, simple as that.”
Ricciardo admitted that he doesn’t have any alternative options to VCARB.
“I would say no,” he said. “Not to be stubborn or arrogant about it, but I’m not looking anywhere else.
“I really do enjoy being back in the family. I weirdly do enjoy sometimes a little bit of pokes from Helmut, because I think it’s also, can also be a way to get me a little bit fired up, and try to get the best out of me.”
Adam Cooper F1 