Daniel Ricciardo is standing his ground and responding to Helmut Marko, who seems to have unofficially promoted Liam Lawson as a full-time driver for one of the four Red Bull cars.
With Sergio Perez’s performances on the RB20 being rather disappointing, the attention of drivers waiting for a seat next season is focused on the Mexican driver’s position. Among them is Daniel Ricciardo, who has indirectly responded to Helmut Marko’s comments about Liam Lawson. The Red Bull leadership has indeed promoted the New Zealander as a full-time driver, stating that “Lawson will be in one of our four cars in 2025” (Of course, there are three cars up for contention, excluding any potential twists involving the home prince of Milton Keynes, Max Verstappen).
Daniel Ricciardo started his Formula 1 season with fairly high expectations after his return last year due to Nyck De Vries’s replacement. Unfortunately, things haven’t gone as hoped, and the prospect of securing a seat for 2025 is increasingly uncertain.
In response to Helmut Marko’s comments about the New Zealander, Ricciardo emphasized that the only important thing right now is to deliver tangible results that could either secure his current position or improve it by moving alongside Verstappen: “It’s OK. I still know that performance is my best friend and that if I do what I know I can do and capable of, then I think it puts me in a very good position to stay somewhere in the family for next year. I’ve just got to focus on that..”
“Speaking of Liam, I got to see him drive the car last year and I do think he did a great job. I do think he is worthy of a seat on the grid, so in a way I’m happy for him. If he is guaranteed a seat next year, then I think that’s good because he is a deserving driver. So what does that mean for me? Probably a little bit unknown, but if I perform then I’m sure they’ll find spot for me somewhere.“— continued the VCARB driver, highlighting the strengths of his ‘rival’.”
Daniel Ricciardo: “Red Bull? There is no next thing for me. This is it!”
For the Australian, there is no other team within the Circus besides the Red Bull family. Ricciardo’s history with the Milton Keynes team could be seen as the red thread connecting every fate; despite Honey Badger’s career being marked by numerous moves, the impression is that, one way or another, he always returns to Christian Horner’s team: “Just here. I’m most happy being back here”
“Speaking of performance, it’s nice not looking elsewhere or having maybe other little distractions, because I can just focus on this. It’s an all-in approach, but I think that approach will also get the most out of me. And if that is still not enough, then c’est la vie. I think that intensifies it, but also simplifies it, so I think it’s the best approach. It’s not coming from a stubborn place, but I don’t really want to be anywhere else either. I’m not going to say everyone’s calling me [saying]: ‘Hey, well if this doesn’t work, we’ve got something for you […]“.
“I’ve obviously done a bit of jumping around the last few years and that, in itself, can be tiring. I feel like I’ve worked my way back to this place and also Red Bull has given me the opportunity to be back here, so it’s not something I just want to dismiss and say: ‘OK, well, what’s next?’ There is no next thing for me. This is it. I’m appreciative of what they’ve been able to give me now and I really just want to try and make it work with them“.
Despite the talked-about possibility of replacing Sergio Perez alongside Max Verstappen, following the numerous rumors surrounding the number 11 during the summer break, Ricciardo has remained grounded without creating imaginary scenarios, while not entirely ruling out the possibility of driving the RB20: “I didn’t rule it out. For sure, I don’t want to say: ‘Oh no, I never thought that.’ I thought maybe something could happen, but I also didn’t expect it or get my hopes up. I was aware that maybe something changes, but let’s just do what I’m doing and if I get a call I get a call, so that was that..”
“Obviously I didn’t get a call, but also that was probably where I’d mentally prepared myself more than: ‘Oh, this is it now, this is going to happen.’ So pretty unchanged.“— he concluded.
Photo: Daniel Ricciardo, X.com
