As one driver sets his sights on ascending to the very pinnacle of the Formula 1 grid, his teammate appears to be approaching the sport's exit.
Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull's influential and notorious F1 advisor, lauded the Melbourne performance in conversation with Servus TV, declaring, "That was a fantastic performance. He was there the whole time and he didn't make any mistakes. The first five teams are so strong that it's quite an achievement if you manage to be ahead of them."
Marko's praise, of course, was directed at Yuki Tsunoda, who astonishingly qualified a whole 10 positions ahead of his RB teammate Daniel Ricciardo, who seems to be in an escalating downwards spiral.
Just one day before, Marko had acknowledged that Ricciardo and Sergio Perez, both 34, no longer represent the "future" stars of Red Bull Racing, the premier Formula 1 team of the energy drink giant.
Japanese driver Tsunoda, aged 23, therefore expressed his aspirations in Melbourne, stating, "Hopefully they will consider me. I want to show my value as a driver, also for the other teams. I want to show that I am a real fighter."
Meanwhile, Ricciardo, a former multiple race winner for Red Bull's top team, finds his career dimming rapidly after being brought back into the fold by the energy drink company last year, following his departure from McLaren.
Former F1 racer Giedo van der Garde expressed concern over Ricciardo's ability to cope with the pressure even at Red Bull's junior outfit this year, telling Viaplay: "I think the pressure is too much for him again. Somehow he can't handle it anymore. I don't think he will even make it to the end of the season if he continues like this."
At his home race this weekend, Ricciardo doesn't shy away from admitting Tsunoda has overshadowed him, remarking, "I can tell you that I couldn't have improved by seven tenths," referencing the gap to Tsunoda's performance in qualifying.
This predicament casts doubt on Ricciardo's prospects of remaining in Formula 1 next season, not to mention his chances of rejoining Red Bull Racing alongside Max Verstappen.
Former F1 driver David Brabham questioned Ricciardo's potential to rival Verstappen given his current form, stating to the Australian broadcaster Nine, "How's he going to compete with Verstappen if he can't get on top of Tsunoda in the same team? Straight away, confidence in the Red Bull camp in Daniel will quickly turn against him."
When questioned about the possibility of switching to another racing series should his F1 journey conclude at this year's end—or even sooner—Ricciardo affirmed his commitment to F1, stating, "I know for sure it's Formula 1 or nothing. If we talk about other championships, then for now I'd rather remain just a fan."
