Ricciardo needs Monza miracle with F1 future in the balance

Daniel Ricciardo isn't one for dwelling too much on the past, but it might be time to make a rare trip down memory lane.

With his Formula 1 future very much still up in the air, the Australian is set to make his return to the circuit on which he arguably enjoyed his finest moment in the sport.

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And he'll be hoping to draw some shreds of inspiration from his stunning 2021 triumph in Monza as he aims to remind everyone what he can still do when at the top of his game.

2021 victory secures rare moment of McLaren joy

Having endured an underwhelming spell at Renault following his surprise departure from Red Bull, the Perth-born racer made the move to McLaren in the hope of getting his career back on track.

It didn't do the trick, however, as he suffered a collapse in both form and confidence over two years at the iconic British team.

Despite his well-documented struggles to get the better of fresh-faced team-mate Lando Norris, he did at least enjoy one special afternoon in the northern Italian sunshine.

Following on from his P11-finish the previous week in Zandvoort, Ricciardo's triumph in Monza was as surprising as it was impressive.

Taking advantage of a collision between championship rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, he raced into the lead and took the chequered flag, sparking wild celebrations within the McLaren garage.

The victory - his first in more than three years – was a stark reminder to everyone of just what he was capable of when performing at the peak of his powers.

Unfortunately, that emotional win was to be nothing more than an outlier, as more struggles followed before his rocky relationship with the former world champions came to an abrupt end the following year.

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Change in scenery brings no change in fortunes

After spending some time in the F1 wilderness, Ricciardo was offered a lifeline at Visa Cash App RB, and despite having lofty ambitions of eventually earning a return to Red Bull, has found the going tough.

In 2024 and with his future on the line, the Aussie has accumulated just 12 points, 10 behind that of team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, who recently signed a new deal with the team.

Surprisingly, despite his lack of consistency and with reserve driver Liam Lawson breathing down his neck, Ricciardo has emerged as a shock potential replacement for Sergio Perez.

The Mexican seems hellbent on doing everything in his power to prove that Red Bull’s decision to extend his contract was - as many suggested - a colossal mistake, having collected a meagre total of 36 points from his last nine outings.

But that prospect has been put on hold for the time being, at least, and Ricciardo’s 12th-place finish in Zandvoort last weekend did little to inspire confidence.

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Time running out for ex-Red Bull star

Ricciardo is now approaching last-chance-saloon territory. The 35-year-old is fast running out of races to make his case that he should be considered one of the top-20 drivers in the world, but a return to Monza may just provide a timely, and much-needed boost, to his chances.

While it may be a bit much to expect a repeat of his 2021 heroics, you would suspect he’d bite your hand off for a spot in the top 10 come Sunday evening.

Of course, that won't be enough to completely appease the doubters – not that he pays much attention to them, mind you – but it would at the very least put them back in their boxes for another week.

But more importantly, it would buy himself some valuable time.

And in a campaign which hasn't provided a whole lot to be giddy about, perhaps that would be a victory in itself.

In 2021, Ricciardo was front and centre of a McLaren miracle. With so much at stake this time around, the 2024 edition is the perfect setting for us all to witness a Ricciardo redemption.

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