Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo Responds to Villeneuve’s Criticism Ahead of F1 Canadian Grand Prix
One day after facing harsh criticism from former Formula 1 driver Jacques Villeneuve, Daniel Ricciardo has hit back by securing the fifth position on the starting grid at the Canadian Grand Prix. Villeneuve, the F1 world champion in 1997, questioned Ricciardo’s presence at the Red Bull team during a rant on Sky Sports that went viral on social media on Friday.
Villeneuve expressed doubts about Ricciardo’s performance, suggesting that he should step down if he couldn’t deliver results like multiple champion Lewis Hamilton. Ricciardo, who rejoined Red Bull’s second team midway through the 2023 season, has eight career wins, with his most recent victory at the Italian Grand Prix in 2021.
Despite a challenging season so far, Ricciardo seemed unfazed by the criticism, jokingly mentioning that Villeneuve might have taken too many hits to the head. The Australian driver acknowledged the difficulties he has faced this season but remains optimistic about his chances at the Canadian Grand Prix, a special event for him where he secured his first career win in F1 back in 2014.
Ricciardo’s strong performance during qualifications indicates that he is determined to convert it into points during the race on Sunday, potentially silencing his critics like Villeneuve once and for all.