Since Max Verstappen arrived on the scene in Formula One, Red Bull have sacked three drivers mid-season in less than a decade. The world champion himself benefitted from a switch from the then Toro Rosso team to Red Bull in 2016 when Daniil Kvyat was deemed to be underperforming.
Then Pierre Gasly was dropped from racing alongside Max while Alex Albon was promoted after just half a season’s racing in 2019. Ricciardo was to benefit from the latest driver ditched mid-season by the Red Bull Racing organisation, when he stepped in last year after just ten races replacing the unlucky Nyck de Vries.
Red Bull driver switch mid-season
De Vries demonstrated a switch in the Red Bull jnr team philosophy away from the recruiting of unexperienced young drivers given the Dutch driver was already 28 years of age and a world champion in Formula E. Yet the expectations on De Vries were simply too high and given the politics behold the scenes, Ricciardo was back in F1 and de Vries’s chance was gone.
It was Dr. Helmut Marko who pushed for De Vries to replace Pierre Gasly following his Stella rookie debut for Alex Albon who was taken ill on Friday night at the Italian Grand Prix (2002). De Vries was called up for FP3 and in qualifying he made the top ten. Diagnosed with appendicitis Albon looked on from his hospital bed and saw his deputy score vital points for the Williams team.
As the season drew to a close, McLaren made their intentions clear that they were ditching Ricciardo a year before his contract was due to end, and so Christian Horner snapped up the former Red Bull driver with a view to replacing the underperforming Sergio Pérez with the likeable Australian.
Yet Perez’s form improved and the only way in for Ricciardo was for him to replace the still learning Nyck De Vries. A tyre test was the excuse Christian Horner needed, and just ten laps in following the British Grand Prix weekend, Horner was satisfied the Aussie was putting in lap times which would have qualified him top four at the previous weekend’s Silverstone event.
Woeful Hamilton “doesn’t know what he’s talking about”
Ricciardo given two races
Over their ten race weekends together since Ricciardo was re-admitted via AlphaTauri, it cold be argued that recruiting Daniel has had exactly the right effect. Tsunoda has significantly upped his game knowing his seat may only have been saved this season because Honda pushed for their Japanese driver to be retained.
The problem for Ricciardo is simple. Yuki’s improved form has coincided with Daniel’s rehabilitation spell and the Japanese driver is making his eight time Grand Prix winning team mate look as though he is past it.
Now the New Zealand Herald is reporting that Dr. Helmut Marko has given Ricciardo just two more races to save his fading Formula One career. The races in question will be in Suzuka, Japan and then Shanghai, China a fortnight later and it is said Red Bull junior Liam Lawson is on standby just in case for the third running of the Miami Grand Prix.
What does Ricciardo need to do to save his F1 career? Well the Visa Cash App Racing Bull (V=CARB) car was launched surrounded by much hype. News throughout the winter suggested an increased collaboration with Red Bull over their car design would mean the Racing Bull’s should break clear from the midfield pack around them and begin challenging the big five – Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Aston Martin.
Hulkenberg claims Haas “too weak”
Yuki growing stronger
The first two races clearly demonstrated this hype was over egged but last time out in Australia the promise of the VCARB01 began to emerge. In qualifying Tsunoda was ‘the best of the rest’ drivers making the pole position shootout and then qualifying for P8 on Sunday’s starting grid.
Yuki had out qualified Lewis Hamilton, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso all of whom were driving cars deemed superior to the V-CARB.
Meanwhile Daniel Ricciardo had his best lap time deleted in Q1 and was relegated from his tenth position to 18th where he started the Grand Prix on Sunday.
In the race Ricciardo made up six places finishing P12 behind Alex Albon, but given his starting position this was a decent effort. Yuki crossed the finishing line in P8 but was promoted one slot up following the stewards punishment of Fernando Alonso. All in all the 2024 Australian Grand Prix weekend was one which showed promise for the Racing Bulls team.
Verstappen faces penalty blow from Australia
Ricciardo rues poor start
Yet the microscope of public opinion zoomed in even closer on Ricciardo and his future, given again he was out qualified and beaten by his less experienced team mate. The Aussie admitted after the race that he had not expected to struggle as she is for the 2024 F1 season.
“I didn’t expect to start the season like this,” he said. “Budapest last year, I drove the car a day before and then out-qualified Yuki and had a really strong race with no knowledge.
“Then having a full pre-season [this year] and all the races last year, I honestly thought that this year, we would start a lot stronger,” mused the Australian driver.
Clearly the media stories surrounding Ricciardo’s future are tough to ignore and Daniel goes to lengths to impress the fact his commitment is as high as ever.
Hamilton and Wolff disagreement down under
China a happy hunting ground
“I understand, not only me, but a few people are wondering why. The important thing is that I stay on course, not that my head is filled with nonsense or anything.
“I honestly feel good and just, unfortunately, the results haven’t made me feel awesome. But deep down behind the wheel, I feel good.”
In his ten previous visits to Suzuka, Daniel has a best result of finishing third back in 2017 though on the whole the Japanese circuit is not one when Ricciardo has regularly excelled.
F1’s return to Shanghai is a different kettle of fish. Ricciardo won the race in China back in 2018 and on all eight visits in his f1 career Daniel has finished inside the points.
Marko lines up Liam Lawson
It would be unremarkable if Ricciardo was given the elbow even just five races into a season given the fluid nature of the driver market this year, Red Bull would like at least one seat for 2025 nailed down as soon as possible.
Dr. Helmut Marko was clear when asked about Liam Lawson’s future in the Red Bull family, confirming he would have a full time seat for 2025 but mysteriously adding, “before that he should at least drive a few more races so that we can see where his potential really lies.”
The expectation was clear from the Austrian, one or other of the V-CARB drivers will be making way for Lawson this year. At the moment its under decided, but Yuki looks in the box seat to remain with the Red Bull junior team, while Ricciardo needs to find his form and beat his team mate next time out.
Piastri reacts as team orders deny him a podium
Marko says Max wouldn’t have won anywa
For only the second time in the past twelve months a Red Bull driver did not win the race at the Australian Grand Prix weekend. In each of the three practice sessions a Red Bull car failed to top the time sheets and in the first two sessions of Qualifying neither Max or Checo was quickest.
Verstappen pulled out two laps in Q3 which were each quick enough for the pole position time, the 35th of his career, but this was the first time we’d seen a car designed by Adrian Newey fastest. At the start of the race, Red Bull now claim Verstappen’s rear right brake was stuck and building up terrific heat while he waited for the rest of the cars to form up behind him on the grid before lights out… READ MORE
