Invade wrote:
He's solid and consistent in bringing points home for the team and takes advantage of his opportunities. Sometimes he's blisteringly quick in qualifying and often produces very fine race pace. However, some believe that as early as this season (2017) that Max is outperforming Ricciardo when bad luck doesn't strike and this also includes one-lap pace, and Hamilton made him look utterly ordinary in Singapore in mixed conditions. By the same token, he's obliterated Vettel in a single season and has repeatedly shown the ability to pace his race well and finish on the podium. He has 5 race wins over the last 4 seasons vs Vettel's 7.
Which bracket does Ricciardo belong in? Is he firmly in the top bracket with the likes of Hamilton, Vettel and we still presume Alonso, or is he clearly below? I don't really have an opinion on this but what I will say is that he's absolutely capable of bringing home WDCs.
It's an interesting question. He has spent his whole career in a situation where any time he gets a good result, he is praised heavily for it (and rightly so). Being in the 2nd or 3rd best car these last 3+ seasons, he has frequently been "best of the rest" (the best performer in a car that cannot realistically win the title). I think he is beyond the point where it's reasonable to wonder if he is really top shelf. He is and he has proven that.
With that being said, it's reasonable to wonder how well he would do in a situation where he is not classified as "the rest" but rather as an actual title contender. Would he handle the pressure well? Would he be consistent enough when a podium is not considered a great result but rather is just par for the course? Would he be able to win races when there's a lot riding on them? There have definitely been many drivers over the years who could excel from the position that Ricciardo has been in but not from the position that Vettel or Hamilton are in.
Personally, I refuse to either give him credit for doing well at that level nor to take anything away from him. He needs to get into that situation so that we have actual data to look at. Daniel needs to do this urgently. If Red Bull are still behind next year, a move to Ferrari or Mercedes for 2018 is essential IMO. He is not as young as Max and he needs to put himself in position to win a WDC before an even younger generation of drivers become the shiny new objects in the eyes of the top teams.