F1 team boss admits playing 'unnecessary' role in Ricciardo downfall

Daniel Ricciardo's former boss at Visa Cash App RB - Laurent Mekies - has admitted the team played a role in the Australian star's downfall.

Ricciardo has been replaced within the team ahead of the remainder of the 2024 season, with Liam Lawson set to be in the car at the next race in the United States.

READ MORE: Ricciardo NFL 'brother' pays classy tribute to Aussie star after F1 departure

Since joining Red Bull's sister team midway through 2023, Ricciardo has struggled to find the form that previously made him one of the most sought-after racers in the sport.

Despite showing the occasional glimpse of his quality, he has been largely outperformed by team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, who will remain at the team having signed a new deal earlier this year.

READ MORE: NASCAR, IndyCar, or retirement? Ricciardo on racing future as F1 EXIT made official

Daniel Ricciardo admission made

Speculation over Ricciardo's future has been ever-present throughout 2024, with the 35-year-old receiving some fierce criticism for his displays.

Ricciardo has remained upbeat on his future prospects but was visibly upset following the Singapore Grand Prix, where he posted the day's fastest lap, admitting it would likely be his last appearance for RB.

Speaking to SiriusXM, team boss Laurent Mekies admitted that the team's decision to openly discuss Ricciardo's struggles in 2024 would have done little to ease the pressure on his shoulders, even going as far as to deem it 'unnecessary'.

“There is nothing wrong with reviewing your drivers’ performance every few races, and I think we have perhaps been too public about it,” he said.

“We have done it in the first part of the season, we have done it quite famously just before the summer break, I guess at some stage we have said we will see after Singapore as well to discuss!

“So it’s part of the game. Certainly, sometimes you can see it’s probably going a bit too far in terms of pressure, above all for Daniel in that case.

“I think the first thought is for Daniel, because he has had a lot of that this season.

"Some races it’s been quiet, some races it’s been very difficult, this is for sure one of the very difficult races.

"Of course, these guys are high-level athletes and they know how to deal with it but sometimes it’s a bit unnecessary.”

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