Daniel Ricciardo in blunt riposte to Australian world champion’s claim: ‘He’s past his best’

The fan favourite Australian driver is racing at his home grand prix this weekend at Albert Park in Melbourne

Daniel Ricciardo insists he is not “past his best” as has been suggested by former F1 world champion and Australian driver Alan Jones.

Eight-time race winner Ricciardo was dropped by McLaren at the end of 2022 after a disappointing two years with the papaya, but found a way back onto the grid midway through last season with AlphaTauri after the Red Bull sister team dispensed of Nyck de Vries.

Ricciardo, 34, admits he wants to land the second seat at Red Bull next year but is yet to earn a point in 2024 after a difficult opening two races.

Jones, who won the F1 world championship in 1980, said ahead of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne that Ricciardo is “past his best” and is currently “treading water” at the team now rebranded as RB.

“I’m sure Daniel would like to have had better results than what he has had,” Jones told the Herald Sun. “At the end of the day, we can’t be blaming the car all the time, which has been a bit of a tendency in the past.

“I would love to see Daniel go extremely well in Melbourne, I would like to see Daniel go extremely well period.

“But I just think that his luck is going to have to change or he is going to have to lift his game if he has got any chance of getting back in that Red Bull team or getting back into a more competitive car.

Daniel Ricciardo is eyeing his first points of the season this weekend in Australia (Getty Images)

“He is treading water. He really needs to have some very good results and put up a good show, he can’t be dwelling down where he is. I hate to say it, but I think we have seen the best days [from Ricciardo]. He has had his bum in a few decent cars, irrespective of what people say.

“The Alpine or the McLaren, the car that he is in right now… at the end of the day he has got to start beating his team-mate for a start.”

Yet Ricciardo, when questioned by a report at Perth airport about Jones’ comments, replied to the notion he is “past his best” by saying: “Not at all.”

Ricciardo added: “It’s been a bit of a steady, I’d say slow start to the year, but it’s only been two races.

“Hopefully the season starts on the right foot now in Melbourne and that’ll be like the first one to get going.”