Red Bull cautions Mercedes against pursuing Daniel Ricciardo as a potential replacement for Lewis Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton is set to join Ferrari in 2025, taking over from Carlos Sainz, whose future is uncertain. Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has stated that Daniel Ricciardo is not a possibility for Mercedes next year due to his “long-term contract” with Red Bull. Ricciardo returned to Red Bull as a development driver in 2023 after his contract with McLaren was terminated, but he secured a race seat again during the season. He replaced Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri, now known as Visa Cash App RB (VCARB), and performed well enough to be offered the seat for 2024. Ricciardo has seamlessly integrated into the Red Bull sister team and is highly regarded following their rebrand. However, it is no secret that Ricciardo has aspirations beyond racing for VCARB and has openly expressed his desire to return to Red Bull. If Ricciardo has a strong season, he could potentially be considered for promotion in 2025, especially with Sergio Perez’s contract expiring at the end of 2024. Nevertheless, Marko has emphasized that Mercedes is not permitted to poach Ricciardo as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who will be leaving the team at the end of this year. Hamilton will be making the switch to Ferrari in 2025 after signing a “multi-year” contract, which will align with the new power unit regulations in 2026. Mercedes is likely to seek a high-profile replacement for the seven-time World Champion, and Ricciardo certainly fits the bill. However, it will not be the 34-year-old alongside George Russell at Mercedes in 2025.