IJody Scheckter, the Formula 1 World Champion in 1979,  expressed his opinion that AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo smiles excessively and should not replace the pressured Red Bull driver Sergio Perez.

Ricciardo made the decision to step away from Formula 1 following a two-year stint with McLaren. He then rejoined his former team, Red Bull, in a third driver capacity before being loaned to AlphaTauri as a replacement for the removed Nyck de Vries.

However, the 34-year-old has encountered a challenging start to his return. After just two races, Ricciardo suffered a hand injury during a free practice session at the Dutch Grand Prix.

According to Scheckter, Red Bull would be making an error by replacing Perez with Ricciardo. “He smiles too much, that’s the problem,” remarked the 73-year-old in an interview with Stats Perform. “When somebody smiles so much… I’m uncertain if he can outperform Perez. I don’t hold him in high regard. He’s not at the pinnacle.”

Scheckter’s critique extended further, as he questioned Ricciardo’s level of enthusiasm and whether the Australian driver’s performance had declined over the years. “I believe he was more impressive when he started,” Scheckter noted”.

“He was always a skilled overtaker, but I’m uncertain if I would swap him for Perez. Over time, it’s different. Does he still have the passion for it? I don’t believe he’s as exceptional as he was initially. He had moments of brilliance. Now, I don’t see that brilliance. However, they possess more information than I do.”

Ricciardo’s primary focus will be on his return to the Formula 1 grid to contribute points to Red Bull’s sister team. Currently, Yuki Tsunoda, his teammate, has earned the only three points for the Faenza-based team.