[ad_1]
Former world champion Jenson Button has questioned Daniel Ricciardo’s decision to sit out the 2023 season, warning it could prematurely end the Australian driver’s Formula 1 career.
The 33-year-old was sacked by McLaren after a horrid two seasons with the Woking-based outfit, leaving the Perth native without a seat for 2023.
Ricciardo only mustered one podium finish in two years at McLaren, last year’s remarkable Italian Grand Prix triumph, and was repeatedly outclassed by younger teammate, British driver Lando Norris.
Watch Every Practice, Qualifying & Race of the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship™ Live on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Earlier this month, Ricciardo confirmed he would not feature on the F1 grid next year, opting instead to take a break and hopefully return to the sport in 2024.
“I still want to be in the sport, and I want to be working with a team still with the ambition to be back on the grid in 2024,” Ricciardo confirmed to reporters at the Mexican Grand Prix over the weekend.
“I feel like a bit of time away from a race seat will do me good, and then try to rebuild on something for 2024.
“I’m not done but it will look a bit different.”
Rather than pursue one of the vacant seats at Haas or Williams, reports suggest Ricciardo may serve as a reserve driver for Mercedes or Red Bull next year.
But Button has cast doubt over whether Ricciardo will return to the F1 grid with a competitive team if he misses the 2023 season, claiming the Australian risked being remembered for his on-track struggles at McLaren.
“I guess he didn’t want to drop too far down the grid and work with a team that’s more towards the rear because it’s difficult for a driver coming from a team that is almost winning races, at times, to suddenly know you’re fighting for points,” Button told Sky Sports.
“It is tough. But I still think it would have been a better move for him.
“Go into a team, work hard, show people what you can do, in a car that maybe suits you a bit more, and then people forget what happened the year before.
“That’s the issue now, people forget how good Ricciardo is because he’s had such a difficult year-and-half or two years.
“But he has the talent, and in a car that suits him, he would show his skill and then he has the opportunity to race in a top team again. But sitting out? People just remember what happened last year. It’s a tricky one and I really struggle to see him coming back to a competitive team after having a year out.”
Ricciardo currently sits 12th on the drivers’ standings, his lowest ranking in nine years, with 35 points, but gave F1 fans a glimpse of his ability with a vintage performance in Mexico City on Monday morning AEDT.
After copping a 10-second penalty for clipping Yuki Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri, Ricciardo switched to the soft tyres and flew through the field, ultimately finishing seventh to help reduce the gap behind Alpine on the constructors’ championship.
“I didn‘t have that much to lose,” he said after the race.
“As soon as I got out the pits the tyre was like so much better. I could lean on it, and I felt like I was in control.
“So I was like, let‘s just use this tyre, see what it’s got. And then it stayed relatively consistent. So I kind of pushed really hard, then just tried to manage it, and it was still giving me a lot more pace.”
The F1 season resumes on Monday, November 14 with the Brazilian Grand Prix, with lights out scheduled for 5am AEDT.
[ad_2]
Source link
