SUZUKA, JAPAN – APRIL 5: Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App RB walk in the Paddock before practice for the 2024 Formula One Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka International Circuit on April 5, 2024 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Ricciardo’s story of redemption is well known in the world of Formula 1. After being rejected by McLaren, his connections and marketing opened the door for him again. From the start, Red Bull made it clear that Ricciardo’s main goal was to regain his position as Max Verstappen’s teammate, and he wasted no time in making his desire to do so clear.
However, it seems that the Ricciardo of the past, the one who was a force to be reckoned with during his days at Red Bull, is a thing of the past. The 34-year-old Australian was given a second chance in F1, but it came at the expense of Nyck de Vries, a rookie who was quickly replaced. Unfortunately, Ricciardo also struggled to keep up with his younger teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.
Despite his delusional ambitions to regain his seat at Red Bull, Ricciardo got lucky. Perhaps he was protected by people like Christian Horner, who fought to bring him back to the team at the expense of De Vries. However, this plan has clearly failed, as Red Bull recently extended Sergio Perez’s contract for another two years, showing they have little faith in both Ricciardo and Tsunoda.
The main goal of Red Bull’s acquisition of Minardi and the creation of Scuderia Toro Rosso was to develop young drivers who could eventually progress to the main team. This formula has worked in the past for drivers such as Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and even Ricciardo. However, it looks like Ricciardo’s time as a Red Bull driver may be over.
In an interview with Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung, Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko said that shareholders have made it clear that the team is intended to be a junior team and that they need to start prioritizing young drivers. Marko mentioned Liam Lawson as a potential candidate for the job, stressing that the chances of Ricciardo returning to Red Bull are slim to none.
Marko explained that Ricciardo’s performances had to be exceptional if he was to have any hope of getting a seat at Red Bull. Unfortunately, he was unable to overtake his teammate Tsunoda, despite them being close in terms of performance. It remains to be seen how this situation will develop in the future.
With Red Bull seats guaranteed until the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season, it seems logical that young driver Liam Lawson is the preferred choice. Lawson is currently Red Bull’s reserve driver and has the option to drive for another team if he does not secure a Red Bull seat by 2025. Marko has expressed interest in seeing Lawson in Formula 1 this year to further assess his potential.
It appears that the move from Ricciardo to Lawson could happen sooner than expected, according to Austrian media reports. The situation certainly deserves to be followed.
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