Red Bull has received advice to part ways with Daniel Ricciardo, with a replacement for Formula One being advised to stay prepared for potential changes. A prominent figure in motorsport has expressed the view that Ricciardo’s time in F1 has run its course and he should be let go. Despite managing to retain his position with the sister team RB after only one points finish in seven races last year, Ricciardo’s performance this season has been overshadowed by his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. Tsunoda has consistently outperformed Ricciardo in qualifying across all four races this year and has accrued all seven of RB’s points, while Ricciardo has yet to score any points this season.
Within a short span of time, Ricciardo’s prospects of moving up to the main Red Bull team next year have dwindled, and he now finds himself fighting to keep his current seat, especially with the highly-regarded young talent Liam Lawson waiting for an opportunity to make his full-time F1 debut. Lawson, a New Zealander, was present at the Japanese Grand Prix and witnessed Ricciardo’s crash on the first lap. TV cameras captured Ricciardo looking discontented in the RB garage, with Lawson nearby, suggesting a potential shift in the team dynamics.
Tom Coronel, a World Touring Cars expert and F1 commentator, implied that Ricciardo’s position is precarious with Lawson waiting in the wings. He remarked on the situation, saying, “Lawson was standing behind looking like, ‘Yes, yes.’ If I were him, I’d have my phone charged all the time. Please give the opportunity to someone else – [Ricciardo] has had his time.”
Following his incident at Suzuka, Ricciardo dismissed suggestions that his crash was a result of his recent performance struggles. He described the incident as a singular event and emphasized that it should not be viewed as indicative of his overall performance this season.
