Last Updated on April 1 2025, 8:54 pm
In the ever-evolving world of Formula One, the unexpected is often just a race weekend away. With Red Bull Racing making yet another bold driver decision just two rounds into the 2025 season, the paddock has been buzzing with speculation. Liam Lawson’s abrupt removal from the Red Bull driver line-up has reignited conversations about who might be worthy – or daring enough – to line up alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen.
With such a coveted seat suddenly within reach, familiar names are being whispered around garages, media rooms and social channels. At the centre of this swirling speculation is Daniel Ricciardo, once a cornerstone of Red Bull’s success and still one of the sport’s most popular personalities. Ricciardo’s time with the team is fondly remembered – from his exhilarating overtakes to his celebratory shoeys – and he remains the last teammate to truly challenge Verstappen on a level playing field.
Ricciardo’s recent F1 career
Although his career trajectory took several detours after his departure in 2018, including a very brief resurgence at McLaren during a period of poor performances, and a short-lived second stint with Red Bull’s junior outfit, the idea of a homecoming has tantalised fans who believe the Aussie may still have some unfinished business in F1.
With Lawson now out of the picture and Red Bull known for making unorthodox but calculated decisions, the question looms large: Could Daniel Ricciardo, against all odds, be on the verge of a remarkable return to the sport’s main stage? The pieces seem to be in place – history, necessity and perhaps a touch of destiny.
But, as is always the case in Formula One, the story behind the scenes is rarely as simple as it seems. One thing is for certain though, Ricciardo always had the support of team boss Christian Horner, but Red Bull senior figure Helmut Marko never really thought much of the likeable Australian, and the latest interviews on the subject by Marko certainly confirms this.
Marko never considered Ricciardo as Lawson’s replacement
In recent years, no Red Bull Racing teammate has consistently managed to match Max Verstappen’s remarkable pace. Since Daniel Ricciardo’s departure at the end of 2018, the team has gone through Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon and Sergio Perez – none of whom have been able to close the performance gap with the reigning four-time world champion.
Even Liam Lawson, Red Bull’s most recent short-term replacement, failed to make a strong enough impression to warrant a permanent seat.
But when Lawson was dropped just two races into the 2025 season, the idea of Ricciardo being brought back to partner Verstappen gained traction among fans. It was a romantic notion, harking back to Ricciardo’s golden years in Red Bull colours, when he was the last man to truly challenge Verstappen on a level playing field.
But according to Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, it was never even discussed within the team. “The idea never came up,” Marko said in a candid interview on the Formel1.de YouTube channel. “It was never an issue.”
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Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 career appears all but over
While Red Bull fans once again entertained the prospect of a Ricciardo comeback – driven more by nostalgia than logic – Marko made it crystal clear that the Australian is no longer in Red Bull’s plans, nor does he seem interested in returning to the sport.
Since retiring after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, Ricciardo has turned his focus elsewhere, away from the fast-paced world of F1.
His Instagram feed is now filled with promotional material and personal projects. Ricciardo has embraced his off-track persona by marketing a fashion line and, more recently, launching a wine brand. There’s been talk of him being courted by Toyota for possible stints in NASCAR or Australia’s V8 Supercars, but so far none of those prospects have materialised into a serious offer.
Marko’s comments come as a blow to fans’ hopes that Red Bull could use Ricciardo’s experience as a stop-gap or long-term solution. “Since his last race in Singapore, Ricciardo has completely turned his back on F1,” Marko stressed, underlining the finality of the situation.
An ill-fated second stint
Ricciardo’s second chapter with Red Bull – this time with the junior outfit, originally AlphaTauri and now renamed VCARB – began with cautious optimism. After returning as a test and third driver in 2023, Ricciardo impressed during a test at Silverstone, setting tongues wagging about a possible return to full-time racing. That opportunity came quickly when Nyck de Vries was sacked midway through the 2023 season. Ricciardo stepped in, hoping to revive his once-brilliant career.
But things didn’t go as planned. An injury sidelined him soon after his return, and although he made it back to the grid, his performances remained largely underwhelming. With limited impact throughout the remainder of 2023 and early 2024, the idea of Ricciardo moving up to the senior team never really gained any serious momentum. His eventual retirement after the 2024 Singapore race now appears to have been his Formula One swan song.
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Other names, but no real contenders
Ricciardo wasn’t the only name thrown into the rumour mill following Liam Lawson’s abrupt departure. Some pundits and fans speculated that rising Argentine star Franco Colapinto could be joining the Red Bull programme. A promising talent currently affiliated with Alpine, Colapinto has shown speed and composure in his early career, even impressing with a recent run in a Formula 1 car.
Speculation was further fuelled when Marko was spotted meeting with Alpine boss Oliver Oakes over the weekend at the Shanghai Grand Prix. But, once again, Red Bull’s motorsport chief poured cold water on the gossip. “Colapinto wasn’t an option,” he said, explaining that the meeting with Oakes had nothing to do with transferring the young driver between teams.
“The conversation was more about young riders in general,” Marko clarified. He specifically mentioned that the focus was on drivers managed or supported by Oakes’ Hi-Tech team in the British GB3 series, rather than bringing Colapinto into the Red Bull ecosystem.
Marko didn’t deny Colapinto’s abilities outright. In fact, he praised the 21-year-old for a “really great debut” and acknowledged the growing attention around him. However, he reiterated that Red Bull had chosen a different path for the future.
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Hadjar ahead of Colapinto – Red Bull’s real choice
While the names of Ricciardo and Colapinto were being bandied about by fans and the media, Red Bull had already made a different choice based on raw data and recent performances. That choice was Isack Hadjar, a driver who has steadily risen through the ranks of Red Bull’s junior program and impressed with his speed and consistency in Formula 2. Marko pointed to the French driver’s superior pace compared to his contemporaries as a key factor in the decision.
“We made the right decision with Hadjar,” said Marko. “He was much faster and more consistent in Formula 2 than Colapinto, for example, as has now been proven.”
The implication was clear: Red Bull values recent performance and development potential over reputation or social media buzz. The focus remains on finding the next Verstappen, not recycling old names or making sentimental decisions.
End of an era for Ricciardo
With Marko’s comments, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Daniel Ricciardo’s time in F1 is up. Once a fan favourite with an infectious smile and a knack for late overtaking moves, Ricciardo’s decline in competitiveness following his departure from Red Bull has been one of the sport’s most poignant storylines.
A short-lived high point came at Monza in 2021, when he claimed an unlikely victory for McLaren, but even that was the result of strategic luck and unusual race dynamics rather than a return to peak form.
As the Red Bull organisation looks to build its future around a new generation of drivers – and as Max Verstappen continues to dominate – there seems to be no room for sentimentality. Ricciardo, once the team’s great hope and the only one capable of matching Verstappen, now represents a chapter firmly closed.
Formula One, for all its glitz and glamour, is also ruthlessly pragmatic. And in Red Bull’s case, that pragmatism has meant saying goodbye to a fan favourite who was once at the heart of the team.
No second acts. No unexpected comebacks. No regrets.
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These are crazy times in Formula One land with Red Bull topping the headlines after making Liam Lawson the driver with the shortest ever career with the team. Whilst the timing of Lawson’s demotion was a surprise for many in the paddock after the departure of Sergio Perez who had raced alongside Verstappen since 2021 filling the seat with a junior driver was never going to be easy.
Now the headlines in Japan are all about their man Yuki Tsunoda as he debuts for the best Honda powered team on the F1 grid. Lawson meanwhile may yet spring a surprise and out qualify his Japanese rival given the Racing Bull car is way easier to handle and was placed well in China before the team’s race strategy team imploded.
In other shocking news the FIA is having a ‘Pontius pilate’ moment as it appears to be washing its hands of the incoming “Frankenstein” monster power units incoming next year. Their man Nikolas Tombazis has offered the F1 teams the opportunity to retain the current hybrids before transitioning to more traditional V10 layouts in 2-3 years time…. READ MORE ON THIS STORY
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Ricciardo indeed won’t compete in F1 again, not to mention he made clear that he’s definitively done with racing in F1 when asked about Cadillac as an option last November.
He even seems semi-retired from active racing, if anything, which clearly speaks volumes about totally losing motivation after all of his struggles ever since he left Team Enstone.
Instead of retiring Daniel Ricciardo in Singapore, he should have been given the second Red Bull Racing seat after Mexico last year to prove he could drive it competitively and support Max. As a Danny Ric fan, we will never know if given the right car, how good he might have been and this could have saved the 2025 season, giving Lawson time in Racing Bulls to get up to speed. F1 will never be the same without the honey badger in the paddock.
Ricardo had his chance at RBR and his F1 career is done.
Marlo should quit he makes far too many stupid mistakes like dropping Daniel. It would be a better team if he wasn’t there
Ricardo doesn’t deserve the seat he had his time he dumped RBR, that seat is rightly Yuki Tsoundo and he wil match if not beat max RBR give him a chance.