Coulthard: Ricciardo F1 decline due to losing ‘the need to succeed’

Daniel Ricciardo’s post-Red Bull Formula 1 career has puzzled fans and pundits alike – but according to former Grand Prix winner David Coulthard, the answer may lie not in talent, but in motivation.

Speaking on the High Performance Podcast and reflecting on Ricciardo’s life and times in F1, Coulthard suggested that the Australian driver’s early success may have actually stalled his long-term momentum, pointing to a deeper psychological shift that can occur once wealth and fame replace hunger and grit.

Ricciardo burst onto the F1 scene as a prodigy, his Red Bull tenure from 2014 to 2018 marked by seven Grand Prix victories and a reputation as one of the sport’s most thrilling overtakers.

His high-profile and very lucrative move to Renault in 2019, however, marked the start of a perplexing slide. Despite two podiums in 2020, his form waned, and a two-year stint at McLaren saw him outshone by teammate Lando Norris, despite a lone win at Monza in 2021.

His return to the Red Bull family with AlphaTauri in 2023 failed to reignite his spark, leading to his retirement at the end of 2024. Coulthard, who has watched Ricciardo’s career closely, pinpointed the Red Bull exit as the turning point.

“You evolve as life goes on and you see some drivers who evolve well. You see others that get affected by the success and that affects their trajectory,” the Scot said.

“Daniel Ricciardo will be an example of that. One of the bright young talents who arrived in F1, one of the best overtakers of his generation, always exciting to watch.

“Just suddenly when he left Red Bull, Renault was okayish, and at McLaren, Lando outperformed him both years even though Daniel won a race.

“And then it never really worked out again at AlphaTauri. Now he is happily retired, I assume, [as] a wealthy individual. But it all felt like it was condensed into too short a period.”

The Baggage of Success

Pressed on why Ricciardo never succeeded in regaining his top form, Coulthard turned philosophical, drawing comparisons between the psychological weight of success and the burdens all athletes carry through their careers.

“In life you gain baggage as you go through your life,” he said. “If you are poorer, that's a Tesco bag with a few clothes inside. If you are rich, it's a Louis Vuitton.

“Other bags are available, but it all has to be carried. So whether it's baggage of wealth or success or whether it's baggage of poverty and difficulty, it's got to be carried to try and to get to the next opportunity.

“For some people maybe they are not able to let go and actually take themselves back to the moment that was the freest point that saw their performance at the highest level.”

"You don't lose the speed, you lose the need"

At the heart of Coulthard’s reflection is a powerful quote, borrowed from fellow F1 commentator Martin Brundle: “You don't lose the speed, you lose the need.” And for Ricciardo, Coulthard believes that phrase may hit particularly close to home.

“As we evolve, some people evolve into another phase of life where they don't have that need, they don't have that desire,” he said.

“I liken it to a boxer. I'm gonna imagine every boxer has been knocked down at a certain point whether that's in training or any early fight.

• Read also: Life in the slow lane‘ suiting Daniel Ricciardo just fine

“When they are young, they are [looking] up and their eyes are everywhere but their need to succeed is so strong it overcomes that hurt.

“They get a bit older and they've got wealth and success and they go down and you see them. 'Did he say five or six [during the countdown]?' I'll just stay here a bit longer. 'Oh, he didn't make the count. Well, I earned the money, I don't want to get punched in the head anymore.’

“They've lost the need to take the punches.”

For Ricciardo, whose charm and talent once made him the life of the paddock, the final chapters of his F1 career might not have been about losing ability – but rather, losing hunger.

As Coulthard suggests, the fire that fuels greatness doesn’t always last forever – and when it fades, so too can the results.

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