Jos Verstappen’s former aide Frans Verschuur doesn’t mince his words when he talks about Daniel Ricciardo and 10-time race winner Valtteri Bottas. Both the experienced drivers were targeted by Verstappen’s former aide, who asked them to work in a circus.
Verschuur had teamed up with Verstappen when they won the 24 Hours of LeMans in 2008. Both Ricciardo and Bottas do not have a seat for the 2025 F1 season but they are trying to secure their future. For the Finnish driver, he’s driving for Sauber this season but with the car showing no signs of life, he’s found it hard to extract the results.
Daniel Ricciardo, on the other hand, has had a tough start to the season. The Australian had two brilliant races, the sprint in Miami and the race in Canada, but other than that, he has been dominated by teammate Yuki Tsunoda. With the futures of neither of the two drivers secured, rumors have been doing the rounds over what could be next for them.
When questioned about Valtteri Bottas, Frans Verschuur said the Finnish driver needs to stop racing. He told Ziggo Sport Race Cafe:
“He just has to stop, just like Perez. What he is doing does not belong in Formula 1, and he drives like a newspaper. Do you know how many talents there are? He can work in the circus with [Daniel] Ricciardo, two clowns together. First drive fast, then humor.”
Daniel Ricciardo faces criticism from Jacques Villeneuve
Criticism from an F1 pundit is not a new thing for Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian was recently the target of Jacques Villeneuve, as the Canadian asked what was Ricciardo even doing in F1.
Comments were made about his entire F1 career, as Villeneuve alleged that Ricciardo had never been as good as advertised. While this led to a war of words, with the Australian telling the Canadian to “eat s**t,” Ricciardo had the last laugh with an impressive overall weekend in Montreal. In his reply to Villeneuve, Ricciardo said (via Motorsport.com):
“I heard he’s been talking s**t. But he always does. I think he’s hit his head a few too many times. So I don’t know if he plays ice hockey or something.”
While Villeneuve did, however, call out Daniel Ricciardo’s professionalism and called him childish for his comments afterward, it will be interesting to see if the Australian has something to say about Frans Verschuur.
In a sport where, more often than not, drivers tend to keep a more PR-centric approach, the manner in which a few pundits have commented could see some sharp replies.