It’s truly unfortunate to witness one of Formula 1’s standout personalities experience such a significant decline in performance, to the extent that Daniel Ricciardo’s place on the grid next year is uncertain.
Personally, I always viewed Ricciardo similarly to how I saw Kimi Raikkonen; I always imagined that if Ricciardo were to win a Drivers’ Championship, he would only secure one title.
There are three main reasons why I believe he hasn’t won a championship (and likely never will):
**1. Bad Timing in a Mercedes-Dominated Era**
Like many drivers before him, Ricciardo joined Red Bull just as their dominance ended. The hybrid era and Mercedes’ rise made it nearly impossible for all but two drivers to win a championship. Without being in a Mercedes, Ricciardo had little chance of winning a championship early in his Red Bull career. However, he did outperform four-time DWC Sebastian Vettel, drawing significant attention. The following season, he partnered with Daniil Kvyat and outperformed him as well. Kvyat was soon replaced by reason number two…
**2. Max Verstappen**
The young prodigy was quickly given a seat alongside Ricciardo after a successful start to his F1 career. This was when Verstappen’s talent began to shine, although he was still young and sometimes impulsive. Ricciardo was competitive with Verstappen during their three years together, but as Verstappen improved each year, Ricciardo sought assurances that he would be the number one driver if Red Bull could compete for a title. Red Bull offered no such assurances, indicating that it would be decided on the track. This made Ricciardo feel undervalued, despite outperforming Verstappen during those years. Faced with the threat of Verstappen regularly matching or outpacing him, Ricciardo had to choose between staying at Red Bull on equal footing or moving to a team where he would undoubtedly be the number one driver. This led to his downfall…
**3. Lack of Self-Belief**
The best drivers in F1 history believe they are the best on the grid. If Ricciardo had believed he could outshine Verstappen based on pure talent, he would have stayed at Red Bull, a team more likely to eventually challenge Mercedes. Instead, he doubted himself (possibly correctly, given Verstappen’s current level) and moved to Renault rather than fighting for the top spot at Red Bull. This move was unlikely to lead to a World Championship, and his form and confidence have steadily declined since. At McLaren, he faced a better, hungrier driver in Lando Norris and couldn’t match his teammate’s level. McLaren tried everything to make it work, but it just didn’t come together.
I greatly admire Ricciardo, but the best comparison I can make is to David Coulthard. Both were tremendously good drivers capable of outstanding performances, but neither had what it took to dominate in a top team, allowing slightly better drivers to seize the opportunity. Still, Ricciardo is a fantastic personality, and I hope we see more Shoeys in the future!
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