Fresh Ricciardo F1 details emerge amid return talk

Details over Daniel Ricciardo's decline in performance have been revealed amid talk of a Formula 1 return.

The 2026 F1 season will see a massive change in the sport, as the regulations undergo a significant change, including 50% electric power units.

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The last time new regulations were implemented in the sport was in 2022, when the ground effect era was reintroduced which impacted the aerodynamics and design of the competitive machinery.

After this change, a number of skilled drivers failed to adapt which saw a dip in performance for many experienced racers, including Lewis Hamilton.

Will Ricciardo ever return to F1?

In a recent interview with Auto Motor und Sport, former F1 star and Red Bull's first sponsored driver, Gerhard Berger, discussed these changes, labelling Ricciardo as one of the unfortunate few who struggled to make a comeback in the new era.

Discussing the 2025 championship and reflecting on who the frontrunners of the sport are now, Berger said: "The order in the field is pretty clear. At the top, Max is above everyone else.

"Behind him, you have Norris, Leclerc, Russell and Hamilton on the same level. Piastri is already knocking on the door. Sometimes he's there, sometimes not. We still have to give him time this year to be able to make a final assessment of him."

This order could shift however come 2026, as new regulations and teams fight to get to grips with the changes.

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Speaking on the last regulation change, Berger continued: "It seems that some of the older drivers like Ricciardo, Bottas and Magnussen didn't get on so well with these ground effect cars. I don't know if that was down to the cars. Maybe they were just past their prime.

"The cars were pretty evenly balanced and when a young driver comes in with the spirit of a rookie, the older ones have a hard time. Only Alonso is doing well, but those are isolated cases."

Ricciardo's struggles post-2022 led to him eventually being dropped by Red Bull midway through 2024 but despite this, his name is already being linked to the future Cadillac F1 team who are set to join the grid in 2026.

When Mario Andretti claimed that his ideal lineup was one experienced driver and one young American, it was confirmed that all hope is not lost for fans of the Aussie racer.

Whilst his presence is missed on the grid, the prospect of returning to the sport for Ricciardo could be an unattractive one at the moment, especially without knowing whether he would struggle with the 2026 changes just as much as he appeared to in the ground effect era.

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