Despite time that seems more limited than ever, Daniel Ricciardo is not panicking and believes he is still able to save his life at Visa Cash App RB. Because as the summer break approaches, that’s what it’s all about, three of the four seats in the Red Bull fold being filled for 2025, while Liam Lawson and others are knocking on the door with more and more no more insistence.
This week, Helmut Marko himself increased the pressure as he knows how to do so well, in a summer period in which Red Bull has already had the habit of disrupting its plans several times, including for the current season.
“The shareholders have made it known that VCARB is a junior team and that we must act accordingly”he recalled in the columns of the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung. “The aim was for Ricciardo to be considered at Red Bull Racing if he performed exceptionally well. The seat now belongs to Sergio Pérez, so that plan is no longer valid. We need to bring in a young driver soon, that would be Liam Lawson.”
Upon his arrival in the Red Bull Ring paddock this Thursday, on the eve of the Austrian Grand Prix, Daniel Ricciardo was inevitably confronted with these clear, to say the least, comments from the Red Bull sports consultant. He responded calmly, convinced that he was still master of his destiny, without naivety however.
“I know what always comes first in this sport is performance”he admits. “That’s what it is, and that’s what will give me the best chance of staying here, I know that. It won’t be my smile or anything else. What matters is the work on the track. So it’s obvious that I have a good opportunity. Naturally, I say until the summer break I don’t think it’s a deadline, but that’s what we see. first part of the season I will obviously do what I can to serve my cause.”
Do I have other options? I would say no.
After an encouraging performance in Canada, Daniel Ricciardo, like his teammate Yuki Tsunoda, suffered from the lack of performance of his car in Barcelona, despite the developments. The Australian insists on all the attention he pays to his work to try to convince his bosses to the end.
“As for what Helmut said, honestly, it’s okay; let’s just say it doesn’t change what I’m going to do.”he emphasizes, while admitting that keeping his drive at VCARB is today his only real chance to continue his career in F1.
“Do I have any other options? I would say no”he admits. “Well I don’t know. I don’t want to sound stubborn or arrogant about it, but I’m not looking to go anywhere else. I said, I really enjoy being back in the Red Bull family. And strangely, I appreciate Helmut’s rants, because I also think that it’s a way to find the flame and get the best out of myself. So yes, to make a long story short, I don’t have one. [d’autres options].”
