Both pilots face scrutiny as their contracts expire, and their future for 2025 remains uncertain. Marko, the decision maker at Red Bull, expressed his thoughts in a recent column on Speedweek, putting pressure on 34-year-old Ricciardo and 23-year-old Tsunoda as he tries to understand the challenges they face. Consider this a wake-up call.
Amid the controversy at Red Bull, where discussions beyond races are prohibited, Marko addressed the situation at VCARB and its pilots: “Let’s talk about the Racing Bulls. This season is very important for Yuki and Daniel.”
“Yuki’s performance in qualifying has been impressive, but Ricciardo needs to stand out soon. Tsunoda, at least, shines in qualifying and manages to stay close to the points in the early stages of the race, only to gradually fall behind,” lamented the 80-year-old Austrian.
Marko went even further, stating: “They can’t keep up the pace in the long run. Whether it’s due to excessive tire wear or other reasons, they need to address this.”
In the Bahrain Grand Prix, Ricciardo finished 13th and Tsunoda 14th. However, “team orders” resulted in Dan receiving the position that rightfully belonged to Yuki, causing frustration for the Japanese driver who had outperformed his VCARB teammate in qualifying. Yuki later admitted that his outburst was the result of “too much heating in my brain.”
During the recent Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Tsunoda once again outperformed Ricciardo in qualifying, this time by half a second (!), while the Australian driver failed to advance beyond Q2. In the race, both drivers were overtaken, with Yuki finishing in 14th place and Dan in 16th after spinning on his own. They only managed to beat the struggling Williams of Logan Sargeant and the underperforming Saubers.
On the same weekend, Carlos Sainz’s hospitalization opened the door for 18-year-old Oliver Bearman to make his mark in Jeddah and showcase the talent of the new generation. Making his F1 debut for Ferrari, Bearman finished in an impressive seventh place, despite having less than an hour of practice in the car before the race. It was a truly sensational performance.
Bearman’s exceptional F1 debut did not go unnoticed by Marko, the man who gave Max Verstappen his chance when the Dutch prodigy was only 17 years old. Marko praised the newest F1 star, saying: “I found Ollie Bearman’s debut at Ferrari sensational. Performing at such a high level on a track like Jeddah with limited practice time is truly remarkable. At times, he was driving almost as well as Charles Leclerc. But what is Ferrari doing now? They are signing the expensive Hamilton, Leclerc has a long-term contract, and Bearman is showing his incredible talent.
“If I were Fred Vasseur, I would immediately find a place for Bearman in another F1 team, maybe at Haas, for example. Now they need to raise funds again to train him. Teams are already financially burdened, and this will come at a high cost.”
Then Marko issued another warning to Ricciardo and Tsunoda: “Bearman – but also our Liam Lawson last season or Pedro Acosta’s debut in MotoGP – demonstrates the extraordinary talents they possess. Today, young drivers are well prepared when they make the transition. However, only those who are truly exceptional can achieve such feats from the start. I found Acosta’s aggressive approach towards Marc Márquez incredibly refreshing, as well as Bearman’s performance in Saudi Arabia. We all wish to witness such displays,” Marko concluded.
It is no secret that both Tsunoda and Ricciardo (the latter being quite vocal about it) aspire to be promoted to Red Bull and become teammates with Verstappen, displacing Sergio Perez. However, this move would be detrimental to the careers of both VCARB drivers, whether it happens now or at any time in the future.
Furthermore, the Red Bull RB20 is so exceptional that even Perez can drive it with great speed and consistency. Although not as fast as Max, Checo is fulfilling his role by finishing in second and keeping his teammate on alert, instead of risking everything in an attempt to surpass him.
In simpler terms, Perez delivered exceptional performances in the first two races, securing second place on both occasions, closely following the leading RBR car.
Fortunately for them, Red Bull does not need a second driver, as their current duo achieved a 1-2 in the 2023 F1 World Championship, showing their dominance in this F1 campaign. The VCARB drivers are far from being competitors, and instead of aiming for a promotion, they should be cautious of Lawson potentially taking their place in the RBR B team before the end of the season.
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The rivalry between the two most popular football teams in Portugal, Benfica and Porto, reached a new level in the last game. The match was marked by tension and controversy, with several controversial plays and heated discussions among the players.
The game started with strong pressure from Benfica, who dominated the field and created several goal-scoring opportunities. However, Porto managed to defend well and prevent Benfica from opening the scoring.
At the 35th minute of the first half, Porto surprised and scored the first goal of the match. Player Pedro Santos received a beautiful pass and finished with precision, leaving the Benfica goalkeeper with no chance.
Benfica did not give up and continued pressing for the equalizer. At the 55th minute, forward João Félix received the ball in the area and took a strong shot, but the Porto goalkeeper made a spectacular save and prevented the goal.
The tension increased even more when, at the 70th minute, the referee awarded a penalty in favor of Benfica. Player Rafa Silva was brought down in the area and the referee had no doubts in pointing to the spot. Forward Haris Seferovic stepped up to take the penalty and converted it, tying the game.
In the final minutes, both teams pushed forward in search of victory, but the score remained level. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, leaving fans of both teams unsatisfied.
Despite the draw, the rivalry between Benfica and Porto continues intense. The two teams will face each other again soon and the expectation is for another thrilling and contested match. Fans are already eager to see who will emerge victorious in the next showdown.
