Former Method 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has taken a flamethrower to Daniel Ricciardo.
The 1997 champ delivered each barrels to the Aussie in a scathing takedown over his place on the grid.
Each qualifying session and race from the 2024 FIA Method One World Championship™ LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Begin Your Free Trial Right this moment >
Ricciardo’s place on the grid has been beneath an intense highlight since he made his return halfway by means of the 2023 season.
However on Saturday Villeneuve, 53, didn’t chew his tongue as he unleashed a brutal actuality examine for the eight-time grand prix winner.
“Why’s he nonetheless in F1? Why?” Villeneuve informed Sky Sports activities on Friday.
“We’re listening to the identical factor now for the final 4 or 5 years. ‘We’ve to make the automobile higher for him’. Sorry, it’s been 5 years of that. No, you’re in F1.
“Possibly you make that effort for Lewis Hamilton whose gained a number of championships. You don’t make that effort for a driver who can’t minimize it.
“If you happen to can’t minimize it, go residence, there’s another person to take your home. That’s the way it’s at all times been in racing, it’s the top of the game.
“There’s no motive to maintain going and to maintain discovering excuses, and also you all discuss that first season or first two seasons, he was beating a Vettel that was burnt out, that was making an attempt to invent issues with the automobile to go win and simply making a large number of his weekends.
“Then he was beating for half a season Verstappen when Verstappen was 18 years outdated, simply beginning, that was it, he stopped beating anybody after that.
“I believe his picture has stored him in F1 greater than his precise outcomes.”
The assault comes days after Ricciardo’s goals of returning to Crimson Bull have been dashed after the crew renewed Sergio Perez’s deal for an extra two years.
It was a bitter blow to the 34-year-old Australian, who had hopes of pushing his approach again into the seat he vacated in 2019 when he left for Renault.
After two years at Renault and one other two at McLaren, Ricciardo had hoped to push his approach again into the highest crew to companion Max Verstappen, and had been placing stress on the Mexican in 2023.
However whereas Perez hasn’t set the world on fireplace and is presently ranked fifth within the driver’s championship in 2024, his 4 podiums in eight races forward of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend have been sufficient to persuade Crimson Bull to stay with him for an extra two years.
It’s a bitter tablet for Ricciardo, who’s six months Perez’ senior and faces a battle to even preserve his seat together with his Visa Money App RB crew after a horror season.
However ever the optimist, Ricciardo doesn’t consider his shot on the Crimson Bull prime crew is over.
“It doesn’t shock me and it doesn’t change something for me,” Ricciardo informed Sky F1 about Perez’ new deal.
“Clearly, my aim, sooner or later, I’d like to be again there [at Red Bull]. However I additionally know that my season hasn’t been spectacular. I had a spectacular second I believe in Miami, however in any other case, I’ve been a bit up and down.
“And look, I’ve been doing this lengthy sufficient, I do know myself that I wish to be doing higher.
“I believe already after the primary few races, I used to be simply very targeted on making an attempt to do probably the most I can right here. And thru that, then I’ll have possibly probably the most management over my future.
“So up till now, yeah, I haven’t in all probability been superior sufficient, however equally, I’m joyful being right here and simply being again within the Crimson Bull household.
“So we’ll preserve charging ahead and yeah, I don’t suppose now it means it’ll by no means occur. However we’ll see.”
The Canadian Grand Prix will get underway at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Monday morning at 4am AEST.
