New Daniel Ricciardo details emerge as decline theory drops

F1 news: Jenson Button offers Daniel Ricciardo verdict and Red Bull opinion

2009 World Champion Jenson Button paid tribute to Daniel Ricciardo’s career, and says based on his information that Ricciardo has “made peace” with the decision of Red Bull to move him out of the VCARB cockpit for the remainder of the season.

The Briton admitted having “never felt comfortable” with Red Bull’s approach to mixing up their driver line-ups mid-season though, given his belief that a driver should have a full season to show what they can do.

But adding on Ricciardo’s future to the Sky F1 podcast, Button said: “He’s such a personality. He’s got such a career in front of him, whether it’s in racing or TV, stand up, whatever it is, Daniel will find the route that works for him.”

Daniel Ricciardo decline theory put forward as exit confirmed

Former F1 driver Anthony Davidson explained his theory around Ricciardo’s departure from Formula 1, saying the top tier of motorsport “spoils you” as a driver by having the best of the best under your right foot.

“I think that the thing for Ricciardo is that he has driven in Formula 1 for a long time. He’s seen the cars evolve, he’s seen them change into the cars that they are today, which don’t have the same level of grip and a very different way you have to drive them compared to the older cars,” he told the Sky F1 podcast.

“And you hang on to that as a driver. You always hang on to the best car you’ve ever driven. And in a way, Formula One in general spoils you as a driver.

“I never drove anything else that felt anywhere near as good as my little Super Aguri in the early 2000s and it just spoils you.

“So you’re always there expecting and demanding that kind of performance from anything else you ever drive, and it fails to deliver.

“And that’s what Ricciardo is experiencing now with these cars, and arguably drivers like Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton as well, they’ve driven way better machinery in their past than what they are now. It’s just the way the regulations evolve over time.”

Liam Lawson expectations revealed as he steps back into Formula 1 breach

Liam Lawson is not expecting an easy ride when he gets back into the cockpit from Austin onwards, with the last six races of the season to come when he steps in for Ricciardo at VCARB.

“Basically, they’re expecting me to perform at least as well as Yuki, I would say, is what the goal is from the team,” Lawson explained on the F1 Nation podcast.

“They want me to match him and basically perform. They want points.

“Obviously, the team is fighting for sixth in the Constructors’, and that’s quite important for VCARB, so to basically score points is the goal.

“If we’re scoring points, then I think, at that point, we’re basically doing a good job.”

Helmut Marko hopeful of ‘stronger’ Red Bull in Austin

Red Bull and Max Verstappen are on an eight-race streak without victory, though Verstappen still holds a healthy lead as it stands in the Drivers’ Championship.

With the need to pull themselves back to the top of the competitive order and a long gap between races, Helmut Marko hopes that progress has been made on that front heading into the weekend.

“We need to improve significantly to turn things around and I am optimistic that we will be stronger again in Austin,” Marko told Speedweek.

“As soon as Max starts winning races again, Sergio Perez usually steps up and then the whole situation looks completely different.

“But to do that, we need a wider working window for the car, which can’t just function in a very narrow area. And we need the necessary speed. So those are two factors and I trust our technicians to achieve that.”

Exclusive: Guenther Steiner highlights hidden Adrian Newey signing benefit

While Adrian Newey going to Aston Martin may not bring immediate success on its own Guenther Steiner told us the effect it have may be a different one altogether.

“I think one person cannot do it, but one person can help,” he exclusively told PlanetF1.com. “But what Adrian does as well, he will attract other big talent.

“Because if you have got somebody like him, it’s not only what he brings himself, he’s got his knowledge about the sport, his intelligence, but it’s also a lot of good people, young people look and say ‘I want to work there. I’m motivated, because Adrian went there. I want to go there.’”