Daniel Ricciardo has fired back at Jacques Villeneuve after receiving fierce criticism from the 1997 world champion in recent days.
An eight-time race winner, Ricciardo has struggled in recent years, with his struggles at McLaren in 2021 and '22 leaving him without a full-time job at the start of last season.
The Australian has experienced mixed form since returning to the sport with RB, with teammate Yuki Tsunoda regularly outshining him.
Ahead of this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, 1997 champion Villeneuve fiercely criticised Ricciardo on Sky Sports F1, questioning why the Aussie was still in the sport.
Villeneuve said:
Why is he still in F1? Why?
We've been hearing the same thing now for the last four or five years, 'we have to make the car better for him, poor him.'
Sorry, it's been five years of that. No. You're in F1.
Maybe you make that effort for Lewis Hamilton, who's won multiple championships. You don't make that effort for a driver that can't cut it.
If you can't cut it, go home, there's someone to take your place. That's how it's always been, it's the pinnacle of racing...there's no reason to keep going and to keep finding excuses.
I think his image has kept him in F1 more than his actual results.
Ricciardo responded on track in perfect fashion, putting in his best qualifying performance of the season to line up in P5 on the grid for Sunday's race. He would also respond off track, making an X-rated remark towards Villeneuve for his comments.
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Daniel Ricciardo bites back after harsh criticism from Jacques Villeneuve
It was a qualifying session to remember for Daniel Ricciardo, on a weekend where he felt he had a point to prove.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after qualifying, it was clear that the comments from Villeneuve had gotten under Ricciardo's skin, with the RB driver telling the Sky pundit to "eat sh*t."
"Eat Shit": Daniel Ricciardo to Jacques Villeneuve
Lol, maybe he needs JV to come to every racepic.twitter.com/YO4cB3iN1K— The Casual(F1) Fan (@ThecasualfanF1) June 9, 2024
Ricciardo said, "I've just been told. I don't listen or read. Yeah, there's definitely some people out there who...yeah, whatever. I won't give 'em the time of day.
"Top five, I've been quick all weekend, we're less than two tenths from pole so...eat shit."
That was not the end of the feud, with Ricciardo making further remarks to the media later on Saturday.
Villeneuve has a reputation for making strong, incendiary remarks, and Ricciardo did not hold back in ripping into the Canadian.
I still don't know what he said...heard he's been talking shit. But he always does.
I think he’s hit his head too many times. I don’t know if he plays ice hockey or something.
I won’t give him the time of day. But…all those people can suck it.
Ricciardo will line up in 5th for Sunday's race, alongside Fernando Alonso on the third row. Mercedes' George Russell will start on pole after a dramatic end to qualifying which saw him and Max Verstappen set identical times. Russell earned pole by virtue of having set the time first.
Lights out in Montreal is at 7pm Irish time, with the race live on Sky Sports F1.
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