Sergio Perez is facing increasing pressure as Daniel Ricciardo emerges as a surprising contender for his seat at Red Bull. Team principal Christian Horner recently discussed the ongoing evaluation of drivers during an appearance on the F1 Nation podcast, hinting at possible changes. This scrutiny follows Ricciardo's departure from Red Bull’s sister team, where Liam Lawson is set to take over starting with the upcoming United States Grand Prix.
Ricciardo's exit after the Singapore Grand Prix has opened a spot for Lawson at RB, who impressed during his previous stand-in roles. However, Horner mentioned that Ricciardo could remain affiliated with Red Bull in an ambassadorial role.
“We’ve made it very clear that we want him to remain in an ambassadorial capacity with the team. Of course, one never really knows. If Liam doesn’t get the job done, if Checo [Perez] doesn’t get the job done… We know what Daniel’s capability is,” Horner said keeping the possibility of Ricciardo's return on the table should the current lineup fall short.
Reflecting on Perez’s performance, his inconsistency this season has led to heightened scrutiny and the need for him to prove himself. As Red Bull evaluates its options, both Perez and Lawson's performances will be closely monitored.
“Daniel is just a brilliant character, a brilliant human being. He lights up a room when he walks into it, he’s got that infectious smile. I hope he stays around the sport," Horner stated.
Ricciardo’s career, filled with notable achievements, remains a point of both admiration and mild regret for Horner. “Daniel’s honest about that and he knows in his heart that he gave it his best shot. He’s had a great career, a great run, but unfortunately, the next chapter wasn’t to be.”
While Lawson seeks to secure his place with consistent performances, Perez must also show reliability to keep his seat, which is increasingly under threat. Meanwhile, Ricciardo's potential return to racing remains uncertain, with differing reports circulating within the Red Bull team.
Advisor Helmut Marko expressed his views on Perez’s performance: “The necessary performance only came twice, once with a fourth place in the Miami sprint [race] this year and last year in Mexico. Otherwise that speed was not there, and the consistency was not there either. The whole performance that would have justified a promotion to Red Bull Racing was missing. But that was the whole point of the whole thing.”
Daniel Ricciardo's RB departure
Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team (RB) have announced that Australian star driver Daniel Ricciardo will be leaving the team with immediate effect. Liam Lawson the Red Bull junior driver has been announced as his replacement. After being stranded for the 2023 season following his exit from McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo joined AlphaTauri (formerly known as Red Bull's sister team) mid-season to replace Nyck De Vries, who was seen as underperforming. Ricciardo's contract with the team was set to expire at the end of the season, and he had been linked to a potential return to Red Bull. However, AlphaTauri decided to replace him early.
