F1 News: Daniel Ricciardo 'In A Bad Spot' As Driver Comes Under Fire - 'We're Still Waiting'

Johnny Herbert voices concerns over Daniel Ricciardo's faltering career as the driver shows inconsistent results compared to his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.

Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Visa Cash App RB arrives in the Paddock on a tender prior to final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 25, 2024 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. / Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Daniel Ricciardo continues to face scrutiny for his lackluster performances in the 2024 Formula 1 season, with criticism from former racer Johnny Herbert highlighting his ongoing struggles. Comparisons with teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who has delivered noticeably better results, have only accentuated Ricciardo's underwhelming form.

Daniel Ricciardo, once celebrated for his charismatic presence and on-track exploits, finds himself mired in what could be the most challenging phase of his racing career. With the 2024 Formula 1 season now well underway, the Australian's performances have been disappointing, leaving fans and analysts waiting for a revival that seems increasingly uncertain.

Ricciardo's journey this season reflects a series of missed opportunities, with him finishing 13th in Bahrain, 16th in Saudi Arabia, 12th in Australia, and facing retirements in both Japan and China. His only points of the season came from a modest P4 finish at the Miami Grand Prix Sprint Race, accumulating 5 points in total. Meanwhile, his teammate Tsunoda has shown more performance, securing points in multiple races and constantly outperforming Ricciardo, including top-10 finishes in Australia, Japan, Miami, and Emilia Romagna.

The dynamics within Ricciardo's team, Visa Cash App RB, have further spotlighted the stark contrast in performance levels between him and Tsunoda. While Ricciardo struggles, Tsunoda’s upward trajectory in the same machinery has raised questions about Ricciardo's current competitiveness in the sport.

Adding to Ricciardo's woes are his recent outings at the Monaco Grand Prix, where he again fell short during the qualifying sessions. Struggling with traffic and unable to move beyond Q2, Ricciardo's performance was indicative of a season fraught with difficulties. While his Japanese teammate clinched P8 on the grid, Ricciardo's early elimination during qualifying only underscored the ongoing issues plaguing his campaign.

Johnny Herbert, a seasoned racer and pundit, has been vocal in his critique of Ricciardi's performance in conversation with Best Poker Sites.

"Daniel has been able to perform on the odd occasion but the odd occasion isn’t enough," Michael Schumacher's former teammate admitted. "If Daniel was beating Tsunoda, everyone would be going ‘what a great job Daniel has done’ but Tsunoda has been brilliant and he’s been consistent but I don’t hear people praise him.

"Daniel is underperforming. He’s had race wins but it’s disappeared for the last five years or so. He’s not been able to spark back into life. We’re still waiting for Daniel to kick on, he thought that would be the case in Miami but we’re still waiting.

"There’s a point where sometimes, you’ve got to say ‘it's not there anymore’. Ricciardo is being outperformed and if you’re being outperformed, you’re in a bad spot. "