Daniel Ricciardo gave his Formula One career a major boost with a commendable performance at the Austrian Grand Prix. Finishing ninth, Ricciardo scored points for the Red Bull junior team (RB) for only the third time this season, a timely achievement amidst swirling rumours about his future with the team.
Last Thursday, F1TV presenter Will Buxton speculated that the Austrian Grand Prix could be Ricciardo’s last race with Red Bull. Buxton noted that Red Bull managing director Helmut Marko has shown interest in giving reserve driver Liam Lawson a chance to race. Despite these uncertainties, Ricciardo’s strong performance at Spielberg staved off a mid-season driver change for now. He outqualified his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, reducing the gap in qualifying to 8-3, and finished the race five positions ahead.
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While Ricciardo lost a place in the standings to Nico Hulkenberg, who secured a significant haul in sixth place for Haas, the Australian has closed the gap on Tsunoda to eight points (19 to 11).
Red Bull have already extended Tsunoda’s contract for another year, while Ricciardo’s contract expires at the end of the season. With the highly-rated Lawson having a clause that allows him to leave if he doesn’t get a seat on the 2025 grid, Red Bull face a delicate balancing act.
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Ahead of Sunday’s race, Buxton reiterated the possibility of Ricciardo losing his Red Bull seat this summer, a move many would see as a career-ending blow. Red Bull threw Ricciardo a lifeline a year ago when they brought him in to replace the underperforming Nyck de Vries.
Losing his seat to Lawson would further diminish Ricciardo’s stock, especially after being ruled out of contention for Audi’s vacant seat.
However, Buxton suggested that Williams could offer Ricciardo a new route. The team recently reported to be worth £547 million (Forbes) are reportedly considering alternatives to Carlos Sainz, who has been undecided about his future. Buxton hinted that Ricciardo could be in talks to join Williams, where he would be paired with Alex Albon next year.
“His whole future is up in the air at the moment,” Buxton said.
“There’s a lot of talk about him being out of that seat after the summer break. There is also talk that he could be in negotiations with Williams for their second seat next year alongside Alex Albon.
“Williams, we understand, are tired of waiting for Carlos Sainz to make up his mind about where he wants to go next year and may close the door on him.”
Contenders for the Williams seat
As the 2025 grid starts to fill up, Ricciardo is aware of the growing competition for the remaining seats. Esteban Ocon and Valtteri Bottas are seen as the main threats to the Williams position.
Ocon, who leaves Alpine at the end of the season, has a respectable record with three career podiums, including a race win. However, it has been suggested that Williams team principal James Vowles may not see him as the ideal team player.
Bottas, who may lose his seat at Sauber/Audi following Hulkenberg’s signing, could also be in contention. Vowles, who previously worked with Bottas as Mercedes’ chief strategist, may look favourably on the Finnish driver.
Ricciardo’s determination amid uncertainty
Ricciardo’s recent improvements are testament to his enduring passion for F1. With 250 Grands Prix under his belt, his willingness to compete in the lower midfield is remarkable, especially given his history and previous success.
“I’m in the race seat at the moment,” Ricciardo said after scoring points in Austria, expressing his determination to maintain his position.
After qualifying in 11th place and finishing ninth, it was Ricciardo’s second top-10 finish in three races, having finished eighth at the Canadian Grand Prix.
“I feel like it’s been three weeks in a row now where I’ve got the most out of the car,” Ricciardo told the media after the race.
“I’m still looking for a little bit more perfection, but yeah, three in a row.”
Ricciardo acknowledges the mounting pressure, especially after Sergio Perez and Yuki Tsunoda secured their positions for next season, leaving him as the only Red Bull driver without a contract. But he remains optimistic, despite Helmut Marko’s comments that Lawson may be given a chance soon.
“I think it’s been planned for a while,” Ricciardo said of Lawson’s upcoming test.
“In any case, it’s one of those things where I think the older you get, the more you understand that you control the controllables.”
Ricciardo’s resilience and focus is evident as he looks to retain his seat: “I’m in the race seat right now, so I’ve got to do everything I can to control the things I can. If I kick ass here [Austria], if I kick ass at Silverstone – then I think the narrative can change.”
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Challenges and opportunities to retain his place
Despite his struggles this season, Ricciardo is confident he will not suffer the same fate as De Vries.
“If Liam goes and has an amazing test, like 100 per cent good for Liam. I don’t have any control over that and I don’t wish him bad luck, not at all,” he said.
“If I kick ass here [Austria], if I kick ass at Silverstone – then I think the narrative can change. Obviously I have to own that and be on top of what I can do. It’s still so much about performance, and yeah, just keep focusing on that.”
Last week, Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko cast doubt over Ricciardo’s future at RB, claiming the team were looking to bring in Lawson “soon”. However, Ricciardo was unfazed by the comments.
“I’ve obviously known Helmut for such a long time and at the end of the day he doesn’t care about personality,” he said in response.
“He cares about the stopwatch and the classification. He’s a racer and that’s all he really wants from us. That can lead him from not thinking much about me to thinking a lot about me all of a sudden. I think this weekend has helped.”
Focus on performance amid uncertainty
Ricciardo remains confident that his performance will speak for itself: “I sound casual, I don’t want to be casual because obviously it’s very important to me. I’m just going to put everything I can on the table in terms of effort and performance and if that’s good enough to secure me a place, great. If not, then OK, I did everything I could.”
Martin Brundle, a veteran F1 commentator, expressed his regret at Ricciardo’s decision to leave Red Bull in 2018, a move he described as “emotional” and “flawed”. Brundle believes the decision derailed what could have been a legendary career.
As the 2024 season progresses, Ricciardo’s performance and negotiations will be closely watched, with many hoping the Australian driver will secure a competitive seat for 2025. The upcoming British Grand Prix at Silverstone will be another crucial opportunity for Ricciardo to prove his worth and reshape the narrative surrounding his career.
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The wider implications of Ricciardo’s future
Ricciardo’s career trajectory just goes to show how fickle the nature of F1 can be, where performance, timing and team dynamics play a crucial role and can chance race to race. His potential move to Williams, a team with historic prestige but recent struggles, could mark a significant chapter in his career. Williams is rebuilding under new leadership and the pairing of Ricciardo and Alex Albon could provide the experience and skill the team needs to move up the grid.
For Ricciardo, his recent upturn in performance is a positive sign, but he must maintain this momentum to secure his future.
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Looking ahead: The British Grand Prix
The British Grand Prix at Silverstone is a crucial event for Ricciardo. Historically, Silverstone has been a track that rewards driver skill and car performance, with a mix of high-speed corners and technical sections. Ricciardo’s ability to deliver a strong performance here could have a significant impact on his chances of retaining his seat at Red Bull or securing a position at Williams.
As Ricciardo prepares for Silverstone, the wider F1 community will be watching closely. His performance will not only affect his career, but also have implications for team strategies and the driver market for 2025. A strong performance could cement his reputation and open doors, while a stumble could increase the pressure and uncertainty surrounding his future.
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Daniel Ricciardo’s record at Silverstone, the British Grand Prix
Ricciardo’s first notable performance at Silverstone came in 2014 while driving for Red Bull Racing. He finished a commendable third, securing a podium behind Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. The result marked a significant achievement in his career, demonstrating his ability to compete at the highest level at one of the most prestigious circuits on the Formula One calendar.
In the years that followed, Ricciardo continued to deliver strong performances at Silverstone. In 2016, he finished fourth, demonstrating his consistent pace and ability to handle the track’s complexities. The following year, an engine penalty forced him to start from the back of the grid, but he made an impressive recovery to finish fifth.
However, not every year at Silverstone has been smooth sailing for Ricciardo. In 2018, mechanical problems forced him to retire from the race.
More recently, Ricciardo’s performances at the British Grand Prix have continued to be a mixed bag. Returning to Red Bull’s sister team, RB, he has struggled to regain his form and compete effectively so Ricciardo will undoubtedly be looking to draw on his past experiences at Silverstone to put in a strong performance, further cementing his reputation and securing his future in F1.
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Lando Norris and Max Verstappen are hitting the F1 headlines for all the reasons in the run up to the British Grand Prix. Having thrilled the fans for ten laps during last weekend’s race in Styria, the pair came together on fateful lap 64 handing George Russell Mercedes first win of the season.
Much has been written in the last 48 hours since the event, with ex-F1 racing drivers generally of the opinion it was Max’s fault for failing to allow Lando enough room on the outside of turn 3. Yet a ‘fake’ rule is consistently cited which talks about moving under braking when in fact the FIA appointed race stewards penalised Verstappen for “avoidable contact.”
Lando had consistently complained before the incident which proved terminal for his race, that Max was moving under braking, something which a ‘gentleman’s code’ across all…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
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Honestly Danny’s struggles have been oversold in my opinion. The sart of the season wasn’t great, but he really was concerned with his chassis, and it appears rightly so. Since he had a chassis change in China, including sprint races, Ricciado has outqualified Yuki 5:4, and he has outraced Yuki 5:3 (they both DNF in China). So really, ever since he had that chassis swap, he’s outperformed his teamate, that’s literally all that can be expected of you as a racing driver. Meanwhile Checo who had a few good races at the start of the season, has been rubbish since about China. So I mean, it’s a tale of two world here.