The drivers’ carousel is still moving, and a few are still looking for a home. The season began with Ferrari’s mega signing of Lewis Hamilton, and uncertainty has been soaring high. With experienced drivers like Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo still looking for a seat, the game of musical chairs continues.
The RB team is struggling to finalize the driver lineup for 2025. While Yuki Tsunoda has secured his seat with solid performances, Daniel Ricciardo’s position remains uncertain. Thus, finalizing the name for 2025 is a huge task, as one seat has several contenders. However, Helmut Marko, the senior RB consultant, has shared insight about the team’s future plans.
“We’ll Have To Put A Young Driver,” Helmut Marko Opens Up About The Second RB Seat
Daniel Ricciardo is currently one of the most experienced drivers on the grid. He was groomed as a teenage driver through Red Bull’s program and promoted to the senior F1 team in 2014. While the Red Bull Racing team recognized the potential in the young Australian, he has yet to realize it fully. Since his Red Bull debut 2014, he has managed to stand on the podium only 32 times out of 250 appearances. Moreover, his recent form has been unimpressive as the ‘honey badger’ has scored points only on three occasions. As a result, his place in the RB Cash App team is under threat. Moreover, the team confirmed Yuki Tsunoda as one of their drivers, leaving one vacant seat.
However, given the recent performance of Ricciardo, the team might look to invest in a young 22-year-old driver named Liam Lawson. The New Zealander, Red Bull’s reserve driver, replaced the injured Ricciardo in 2023. During his five-race stint, he was impressive and pitched his name for a permanent spot. Recently, Helmut Marko also gave statements in favor of the young driver. During an interaction with the Austrian publication Kleine Zeitung, Marko hinted that Lawson would be preferred over Ricciardo. He further explained that the shareholders decided the result of this trans-tasmanian rivalry, which favored Lawson. Moreover, the stakeholders want the RB team to be a platform for young drivers once again, as it was in the past.
The senior consultant also highlighted that the Red Bull senior team was considering Ricciardo, but Sergio Perez wa given an extension. Subsequently, he explained a clause in Liam Lawson’s contract that allows him to leave the setup if he is not promoted. Thus, if we do the math, the result is on the outs for the Australian.
Christian Horner’s Support Could Save Ricciardo’s Career
According to a Swiss publication, Blick, Audi is in full force to sign Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson. The team set to replace Sauber is eager to assemble a strong driver lineup. Thus, this pressure is forcing Red Bull to take a quick call and is also the reason behind Yuki Tsunoda’s contract extension.
Further, Ricciardo said there is no pressure or ultimatum for him right now. However, he understands the F1 dynamics and reflects upon his recent performances. The experienced racer knows he must up his game for a minute possibility. Moreover, he has Christian Horner’s support, which might be the only thing working in his favor.
