Daniel Ricciardo has hinted that a Formula 1 rival is doing a better job than the Visa Cash App RB star so far in 2024 as he is ‘driving well’ without ‘doing anything crazy’.
This season has not been a resounding success for Ricciardo across the first five rounds. He has struggled to thrive in the VCARB 01 and remains without a point ahead of the Miami GP next week. Yuki Tsunoda has scored all seven of RB’s points with two top-10 finishes so far.
Tsunoda hauled his VCARB 01 into the points with a P7 finish at the Australian GP and P10 at the Japanese GP. The best that Ricciardo has achieved with the other Visa Cash App RB car is P12 in the Australian GP. But the 34-year-old qualified in P18 as his teammate sealed P8.
Daniel Ricciardo concedes Yuki Tsunoda is simply ‘driving well’ to lead Visa Cash App RB
Only taking P12 at best in 2024 after back-to-back retirements in the Japanese GP and the Chinese GP also leaves Ricciardo 18th in the drivers’ standings. Only Alpine star Pierre Gasly, Sauber racer Valtteri Bottas and Williams ace Logan Sargeant have recorded inferior finishes.
Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll (9) plus Tsunoda (7), Oliver Bearman (6) and Haas duo Nico Hulkenberg (4) and Kevin Magnussen (1) have also all out-scored Ricciardo. But the eight-time Grand Prix winner does not believe Tsunoda is doing anything special to thrive for RB.
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Ricciardo feels it is as ‘simple’ as Tsunoda purely driving well to get the most out of RB’s car. The 23-year-old – who has now entered 71 Grand Prix to Ricciardo’s 245 – is leading the F1 teammate head-to-head at RB for race results 3-2 and qualifying 4-1, as well as points 7-0.
“He’s driving well, it’s as simple as that,” Ricciardo admitted, via quotes by Speedcafe. “Is he doing anything that’s, let’s say, different? Not really. I think [he’s] just putting together some really good laps.”
Daniel Ricciardo feels the 2023 Mexico City GP was a turning point for Yuki Tsunoda
Ricciardo pinpoints the 2023 Mexico City GP as a turning point for Tsunoda after seeing how his teammate thrived with a different set-up. The Perth native enjoyed his best result of the season at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez after qualifying in fourth and finishing in P7.
“Mexico last year, we made a bit of a breakthrough with [the] set-up,” the Australian added. “After that very good weekend, I think [it] definitely made Yuki quite curious with our way of driving the car and setting it up and, naturally, he’s come closer to that.
“Now, we are actually running the car very similarly and I think he’s found comfort in what I found comfort in last year. He’s been able to get the most out of that package, as well.
“[Tsunoda’s] adapted well to that and he’s driving well. He’s doing good. I don’t want to say [he is doing a better job]. He’s not doing anything crazy but he’s doing very good.”
Tsunoda bowed out of qualifying at the 2023 Mexico City GP in Q2 as he was obliged to start the race from the back of the grid regardless of his result. AlphaTauri changed several power unit components like the internal combustion engine and turbocharger, plus a fifth gearbox.
The Japanese driver came through from his eventual P18 start – after Aston Martin changed Stroll’s set-up and Williams’ Sargeant did not post a lap time in qualifying and also carried a 10-place grid penalty – to finish the Mexico City GP in 12th, a full 37.412s behind Ricciardo.
The post ‘Driving well’: RB star Daniel Ricciardo hints 71-race F1 rival is doing a better job than him appeared first on F1 Oversteer.