During the start of the race, George Russell from the UK, driving for Mercedes – AMG PETRONAS in a W14 – Mercedes, and Max Verstappen from the Netherlands, driving for Oracle, were seen in action (Photo by Gongora/NurPhoto via Getty Images).
The Formula 1 community has gathered in Japan for the fourth race of the 2024 season at Suzuka this weekend. Suzuka is known for its iconic track where multiple championships have been decided. This year, the race has been moved closer to the start of the season.
Several drivers are feeling the pressure, and journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm interviewed one of them on Thursday.
Chassis discussions are rare during race weekends, but as Logan Sargent learned in Australia, it’s a crucial part of a car. Sargent had to give up his chassis in Melbourne after Alex Albon destroyed his during practice. Sargent will race this weekend without a spare chassis.
Visa Cash App RB driver Daniel Ricciardo is also considering a new chassis. Ricciardo has struggled this season, being outperformed by teammate Yuki Tsunoda in the previous race. He needs answers soon to quell rumors about his future.
Ricciardo admits to considering a new chassis. His season has been frustrating despite high expectations. Visa Cash App RB, closely tied with Red Bull, showed promise in pre-season but hasn’t converted that into results, leaving them fighting for final points positions.
Questions have arisen about Ricciardo’s car, leading to the discussion of a new chassis. Ricciardo was puzzled by the gap in performance between his car and Tsunoda’s during qualifying. Even without a deleted lap time in Q1, he doubted he could match Tsunoda’s pace.
Ricciardo is searching for answers after a tough start to 2024. On social media, Mitchell-Malm reported Ricciardo’s suggestion of a new chassis to rule out undetected car problems before blaming himself.
Driving for the RB team is precarious given its place in the Red Bull hierarchy. Red Bull drivers have previously been moved to the sister team if underperforming, allowing them to stay in F1 and possibly be promoted later. Both current RB drivers aim to drive for the champions, but the Red Bull Junior Team has many talented young drivers, with Liam Lawson being a standout. Lawson, who replaced Ricciardo last season after a hand injury, is expected to join the grid in 2025. However, his management denies rumors of an earlier replacement.
Ricciardo hopes to solve his performance issues in Japan without needing a new chassis. As Williams demonstrated, building and delivering a new chassis globally is challenging.
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