Daniel Ricciardo did not live up to expectations at RB this season. The Australian driver had a challenging start to the 2024 season at RB. He lagged behind his teammate in the first four races. Although there were signs of improvement from the Honey Badger, rumors surfaced that another driver could replace Ricciardo. However, Red Bull’s Motorsport Consultant, Helmut Marko, dismissed these speculations.
Marko made it clear that the rumors about Lawson replacing Ricciardo were completely unfounded. The octogenarian stated that Ricciardo and his manager may have certain aspirations that are often expressed by the media. However, Marko stated that there are no plans to switch drivers at the moment.
However, Marko left the possibility open for future opportunities for Lawson. He mentioned that Red Bull would consider their options for the future. Previously, Liam Lawson had expressed his willingness to leave the Red Bull family for an available seat in F1.
Daniel Ricciardo’s weekend had its ups and downs. The Australian driver impressed the paddock with his performance in the sprint race, finishing in P4 and earning valuable points for RB. However, he lost pace and couldn’t reach Q2 in the qualifying session for the main race.
Initially, Helmut Marko praised Ricciardo’s sensational performance in the sprint race. However, he quickly pointed out that Ricciardo made a big mistake just three hours later. Marko also highlighted that the Australian driver struggled to find speed in the Grand Prix on Sunday.
Undoubtedly, Daniel Ricciardo will be hoping to deliver more results like his performance in the Miami GP. The 34-year-old driver needs to prove his worth to Red Bull this season to secure his future in F1. It remains to be seen if Ricciardo will be able to regain the confidence of the Red Bull family in the upcoming races.
