Red Bull’s Formula One operation has a problem on its hands: what to do with the globally popular but generally slow Daniel Ricciardo.

So far, 2024 has been another season of underperformance for the wide-smiling Australian, who has been thumped by teammate Yuki Tsunoda – a driver generally considered to be one Ricciardo should be dominating.

Ricciardo had barely turned a wheel in practice for the Canadian Grand Prix a fortnight ago when his shaky form attracted the attention of 1997 Formula One (F1) champion Jacques Villeneuve.