The top of the yr was OK, a seventh place in Mexico an actual excessive in an in any other case mediocre run of outcomes. That didn’t get him down, although. As a result of now he’d have a full pre-season to prepared himself.
And so, after we caught up in IMG Studios in London in February, for the annual pre-season shoot, he was buzzing – despite the fact that he needed to speak to me at 6pm native time having began his day 11 hours earlier. “I’ve nonetheless bought extra to show,” was the headline. Try this and the carrot of a Crimson Bull drive remained.
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However whereas the velocity was clearly there – as was showcased with an excellent fourth within the Miami Dash and factors finishes in Canada, Austria and Belgium – it was the consistency that Ricciardo was lacking. That was as soon as Ricciardo’s power, however for no matter cause, he merely couldn’t knit collectively a run of robust outcomes that he – and his previous boss Christian Horner – have been satisfied he was able to.
What made life worse was that his workforce mate, Yuki Tsunoda, was starring within the different automotive. Given Crimson Bull have but to be satisfied they need to promote the Japanese driver, even regardless of his type this yr, that Ricciardo couldn’t rating factors – no matter the truth that technique didn’t at all times assist him this yr or the actual fact his enchancment in type coincided with a downturn within the high quality of the automotive that pulled it out of points-scoring competition – harm his stature amongst Crimson Bull’s prime brass.
This wasn’t for need of making an attempt. Ricciardo was giving every thing – driving his coronary heart out as he at all times did. For no matter cause, although, it wasn’t working any extra.
