Riccardo honest to God thinks he's ready to return to Red Bull

All part of the F1 show. RB won't give him a seat unless he can win.

 

Maybe he feels he is being ignored, so goes public to show he still exists ?

Yes, a nice guy, but his career went downhill years ago when he left Red Bull.

 

He should’ve been gone already. How does he justify his income? If he brings any major sponsorship to a team not aware of it.

 

It was Red Bull that offered him a job after the Renault and McLaren deblacles.
Christian Horner bringing him back was a management mistake, IMO.

 

Yes, I never understood Horner’s judgment on that one.

 

In a Drive to Survive episode a few seasons back, Daniel was chatting with Horner in the paddock. As he left, Horner made the comment "like an old girlfriend who won't let go" or words to that effect.

 

How was Renault a debacle? He solidly outperformed his teammate and got them a podium, in a car not deserving of it. I think him going to Mclaren was one of the worst moves any driver has made in recent times (even counting Alonso's moves), but he was definitely good at Renault, enough for Mclaren to let Sainz go to get him. Obviously he hasn't been the same since, but I don't know why people bring up his performance at Renault as anything but good. Sure Renault wasn't (and still isn't) great, but he was good there.

 

Well, leaving Red Bull to go to Renault was a clear indication of a lack of judgement.
If he performed well in an inferior car at Renault or beat his team mate is not here or there.
Then, "not adapting to the car" at McLaren, and being beaten by a less experienced team mate said it all.

 

Many things in life aren't as good the second time around !

 

maybe Ricci has some audi or video of Horners off track excapades as leverage?

 

He saw the writing on the wall, RB refused to admonish Max when he wrecked them both defending at Azerbaijan in 2018. I would have left as well, it was clearly Max's fault and they refused to assign any blame.

 

Wrong move though ... It ruined his career.

Sometime, it's better for a driver to accept #2 status in a team than to rock the boat.

And now Ricci wants to drive alongside Max again ?

 

The Mclaren move is what wrecked it, if anything he impressed at Renault. Not sure what's going on this year, very up and down so far but certainly not at the level to be considered for RB, or even another year at VCARB unless he start thoroughly beating Yuki.

 

Ummm, it was really Horner's fault for not issuing team orders to let DR by. Max's car was having ERS issues down the long straight laps before so it was clear that DR was faster. Horner refused to issue team orders and the inevitable happened.


That's my 2 cents.

 

Q1…hmmmmm

 

I think he's been drinking too much from his shoe lately.

 

I love Ric but not sure what he’s been smoking.

 

No debate on this. The subtle yet obvious favoring of Max was ridiculous. Ricci warned the pit wall multiple times but no. Max and his idiocy prevailed.
Perez is pathetic currently and I feel Ricci would do better than Checo in the current RedBull!

 

I am not sure about that ! Ricciardo seems struggling against Tsunoda in the RB VCARD.

 

He´s right: now he´s so desperate that he´s ready to be Verstappen whore. Back in the day he didn´t accept it.

 

" Verstappen whore " ? Where have you seen that ?

 

He can barely beat Yuki...Just like Kmag and Ocon, this guy is just a waste of grid slot.

 

Keeping up with the Joneses: Ferrari takes LH, RB takes Riccardo. Marketing potential? ;-)

 

If a driver doesn't believe he can then he is finished.

I love that he still believes in himself. But it's not him that needs convincing, and he knows it. He bet on himself with Renault, then made the mistake to go to McLaren.

Unfortunately wasted his prime years(and a potential WDC) by chasing. Easy to fault him and claim he should have done like Rosberg, but going to a factory engine team is never a bad idea IMO. Leaving for a customer team reeks of desperation.

He is in the final stages of his career. If I'm him I'm pulling every favor, relationship and last semblance of talent to politic my way into that RB seat. Right now Yuki is outperforming convincingly, but Sergio is teetering on the edge and Yuki doesn't have the relationship favor. It might just be enough...

I wouldn't though. Yuki in to senior seat, Lawson to Yuki's seat, and then a chess match between Sergio, DR and anyone else for the other vcarb seat.