Last Updated on March 12 2024, 12:57 pm

With the turmoil engulfing the Red Bull team since before the start of the 2024 Formula One season, the last the world champions need right now is new speculation that they are soon to ditch one of their drivers. Sergio Perez was under the microscope for much of last year as he repeatedly failed to make final qualifying scoring just half the points of his team mate.

Consultant Dr. Helmet Marko was the centre of a racism storm when following the Italian Grand Prix, the Austrian suggested Checo’s inconsistent for was due to his ethnicity. Marko told Red Bull’s own Servus TV channel: “We know that he has problems in qualifying, he has fluctuations in form. He is South American [sic] and he is just not as completely focused in his head as Max [Verstappen] is or as Sebastian [Vettel].”

 

 

 

Marko marks Perez card

Amusingly Perez is Mexican which is not part of South America yet Marko’s words earned him a reprimand from F1’s governing body as a statement form the FIA read:

“We can confirm that Helmut Marko has received a written warning and been reminded of his responsibilities as a public figure in motor sport in line with the FIA Code of Ethics.”

Perez ended the year better helping Red Bull to their first ever 1-2 in the driver’s championship. Though the difference between their drivers performance was stark given Verstappen could have competed either in only the first 11 or last 11 races of the year and still finished ahead of his team mate.

Red Bull have demonstrated over the years they are not afraid to bin a driver mid-season. Pierre Gasly was promoted alongside Max Verstappen for the 2019 season but returned to Toro Rosso for the Belgium Grand Prix after the mid-summer interval.

Horner gives Max stark ultimatum

 

 

 

Red Bull history of sacking drivers

Similarly last season rookie Nyck de Vries was given just 10 races before Red Bull decided to replace him with reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo in the then named AlphaTauri junior team.

Following his early departure form McLaren, Christian Horner snapped up Ricciardo for a reserve role which looked as though he was in waiting for the inevitable sacking of Sergio Perez. Yet Ricciardo was given the opportunity to prove himself at AlphaTauri first which proved to be a mixed blessing.

Having ten races less under his belt last year than his Japanese team mate, Ricciardo qualified and finished 13th in Hungary. This looked an impressive return given Tsunoda started the race behind the likeable Aussie down in 17th and was classified at the chequered flag two places behind Daniel.

Next time out in Belgium the roles were reversed. For the Grand Prix Tsunoda qualified and finished ahead of his team mate, though in the Sprint events Ricciardo was better placed, yet still outside the points.

Mercedes brain drain continues

 

 

 

Ricciardo form indifferent

Next time out during practice Ricciardo came a blind into turn three finding the stranded McLaren of Oscar Piastri across the middle of track. The subsequent impact cause Ricciardo to break a metacarpal bone in his hand in seven places ruling him out for the next 4 Grand Prix.

His return in Texas saw him out qualified by Tsunoda and the Japanese driver went on to claim the first significant result of the year for AlphaTauri and a vital 4 points for his with place finish. Meanwhile Daniel struggled and was the last driver to cross the finish line to take the chequered flag.

In Mexico Daniel was sublime. His P7 haul of points gave the team realistic hope they could catch Williams and finish the season seventh in the constructor’s championship. While Tsunoda helped AlphaTauri in their cause scoring points in two of the three final rounds, Ricciardo was somewhat lacklustre with a P13, DNF and a P11.

Ricciardo’s six points from the seven F1 rounds in which he participated was difficult to measure given the injury he suffered in Zandvoort. Yet it felt under par given the hopes Red Bull had for their former driver who competed well when racing alongside Max Verstappen.

Austria faces canceled GP and FIA responds

 

 

 

Perez is now delivering

Now just two rounds into 2024, Ricciardo is under increasing pressure to perform according to Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko. Honours are even between him and Tsunoda with both failing to score points but finishing one race ahead of the rival. Yet this is not what Ricciardo was brought back to the Red Bull family to deliver. 

As a potential successor to Sergio Perez, he has failed to make the case he is a much better choice for this role than Yuki Tsunoda. In fact Perez without winning a race has done the next best he can by finishing runner up to his team mate in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.,

“Great race,” said an impressed Marko after Checo’s race in Jeddah. “He overtook (Charles) Leclerc relatively quickly and then gained those five seconds, actually setting the same times as Max after that. We are very satisfied,” added the 81 year old Austrian.

As for Daniel Ricciardo, the Red Bull consultant is less impressed.

Marko claims Horner secretly lined up Max replacement

 

 

 

Marko praises Tsunoda

“There’s a lot at stake this season for both Yuki (Tsunoda) and Daniel,” he told Speed Week. “Yuki’s qualifying performance was very good, but Ricciardo has to come up with something soon.

“At least Tsunoda is very good in qualifying,” Marko added. “Then he is at the top of the points in the first stint, only to fall further and further behind after that.”

Dr. Marko went on to speculate whether the newly names Visa Cash App Racing Bull drivers “are putting too much strain on the tyres or there are other reasons is what we need to find out.” The Racing Bulls were expected to be the class of the F1 midfield this year, but great defensive driving form Kevin Magnussen created the chance for his team mate to score a point in P10, placing Haas F1 at the top of the F1 1.5 group.

Ricciardo was defiant in the post race media pen, claiming the car needs to improve which will lead to better results.

“I know we can be a lot better if we get the car under control. Everything just hasn’t worked 100 percent,” said Daniel to Sky Sports F1.

Newey jumping ship to Ferrari?

 

 

 

Marko says Lawson will race this year

Yet the relative position of the Racing Bulls is not the benchmark by which Ricciardo will be judged. As an eight time Grand Prix winner he should be beating Tsunoda if he has any hope of remaining in the Red Bull organisation beyond this season.

Liam Lawson is waiting in the wings and Dr. Marko hinted last season he will get his chance and probably not have to wait for the remainder of this year.

When OE24 stated surely Lawson would have a full time seat with RB for 2025, the Austrian surprisingly revealed: “Yes, and before that he should at least drive a few more races so that we can see where his potential really lies.”

Just as for Gasly and De Vries the clock is ticking and either Tsunoda or Ricciardo could suffer the classic Red Bull fate of being dropped after the summer break.

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