Daniel Ricciardo‘s season has gone from bad to worse after the under-fire RB driver crashed out of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Ricciardo, 34, collided with Alex Albon just after the first corner of the opening lap of the race, sending himself and the British driver hurtling into the crash barriers.

The severity of the crash saw the stewards wave red flags and the race was restarted once the mess was cleared up. Neither driver was seriously injured.

Max Verstappen went on to win the race and opined that Ricciardo was pre-occupied with Lance Stroll on his left, meaning he failed to spot Albon to his right.

‘You could see Daniel checking the left side,’ Verstappen said. ‘It’s pretty unfortunate.’

Daniel Ricciardo crashed out of the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday

The Australian’s season has not got started after a sluggish opening four races

‘He [Albon] is in his blind spot,’ added Sergio Perez.

Sky F1’s Anthony Davidson said: ‘I think Ricciardo reacts to Stroll on his lefthand side. That’s unfortunate. It wasn’t Albon’s fault and it wasn’t Ricciardo’s.

‘Ricciardo is going for the racing line and three into one doesn’t really go. It’s a racing incident and wrong place, wrong time for Albon.’

‘Ricciardo was looking to his left and more concerned about a car coming up to his left, so that’s why he wasn’t aware of Albon,’ added Bernie Collins.

Ricciardo, desperate to win back his seat at the all-conquering Red Bull in 2025, has made a dismal start to his campaign.

The Australian has finished outside the points in all four races thus far, and has been outperformed by teammate Yuki Tsunoda – who finished 10th at his home Grand Prix.

Prior to Sunday’s race, Ricciardo insisted he remained upbeat about the season ahead.

‘It’s funny because, on paper, it hasn’t been good — and I know obviously as well that the results haven’t been what I wanted,’ he told reporters on Thursday.

‘But personally, the confidence and the happiness and all of that is really unchanged, so it’s really just a matter now of getting a result and kind of putting a few things to rest.

‘The place I’m in personally, I feel really good and that’s why it’s probably been a little bit weird to comprehend why the result hasn’t happened yet.

Ricciardo had to watch on as teammate Yuki Tsunoda scored points

‘It’s been three races, but I know that I don’t need to change anything, it’ll come. It’s just a little bit here and there.

‘Whatever is maybe just missing at the moment will click, and I think it’s one weekend away from that.

‘Even in Melbourne (at the Australian GP) where I was disappointed on paper with the weekend, of course, (after finishing 12th) and not getting points, when we kind of analyse the race, it wasn’t as sad as it probably looked.

‘We had good race pace, there are some good things that we’re taking about, and we just need to put it together now. And that I will do.

‘I said I would in Melbourne – and I fell short. But I will do it this weekend.’