Daniel Ricciardo choosing reserve driver role is 'a shame', says former F1 world champion

Former F1 driver and world champion Jenson Button feels that Daniel Ricciardo taking a reserve driver role is a shame because he won't be able to show how good he is on the track.

With the announcement of Daniel Ricciardo's signing as a reserve driver for Red Bull imminent, Jenson Button shared his views on the topic and revealed that he was not on board with the path that the Australian was taking. Speaking about Daniel Ricciardo's new role on Sky Sports’ The F1 Show, Button said:

"If it’s true, which I’m sure it is, it’s what Daniel wants. So that’s the key. That’s the key to Daniel’s career is he’s chosen what he wants to do, so hopefully it’s the right decision for him. That’s all I have to say really."

The former British driver further said:

"I mean, for me, I wish that we were seeing Daniel in F1 next year, even if he was in a car that wasn’t so competitive. I’d love to see Daniel racing because I think he needs that to show what he can do because we all know how great he is. It just hasn’t worked out for McLaren."

Button added:

"Whereas if you’re a development driver in a sim and doing marketing days, you’re definitely not going to see how good he is. So it’s a shame for me that he’s chosen that route, but he thinks it’s the right route for him."

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Mika Hakkinen casts doubts over Daniel Ricciardo's decision to take a sabbatical

Former two-time F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen has also cast doubt on Daniel Ricciardo's decision to take a sabbatical from the sport. Comparing his own situation when he took a sabbatical that turned into a retirement, Mika Hakkinen said that the Australian needed to be careful. He said:

"If Daniel decides to have one year off, from experience I know once you leave this sport normally you shouldn't come back. I think my position was a little bit different because I was already a two-time world champion, I'd achieved my goals. Daniel has a different situation. His performance has been dropping, he’s not going flat-out, so people are not sure if he's quick enough."

Hakkinen added:

"That could make it difficult having a year off and coming back, because if you’re not quick enough, there's always some kind of explanation, some reason. I feel he’s not giving this information very clearly to media, to fans, to the team. That's a bit scary; you have to know why [you're] not able to maximise performance to the same level as [your] teammate."

Daniel Ricciardo being absent from the Formula 1 grid would surely be something new for the fans. The Australian has been a valued presence on the grid and will surely be missed next season.