According to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, there is a possibility that Daniel Ricciardo could replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull in 2025 when Max Verstappen’s teammate’s contract expires. Ricciardo is currently on loan to Red Bull’s sister team, AlphaTauri, until the end of 2023, with no signed contract for 2024.
In an interview on the F1 Nation podcast, Horner explained that Ricciardo would want to secure a deal for next year before making a case for himself to replace Perez. Perez has a two-year deal that will keep him with Red Bull until the end of 2024, while Verstappen’s contract runs until the end of 2027.
As Ricciardo prepares to make his Formula 1 comeback with AlphaTauri at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Horner stated, “At the moment, there’s only something in place until the end of the season… Obviously, our drivers are going to be Max (Verstappen) and Checo (Perez) again next year, but it’s always good to have talent in reserve. Daniel firmly wants to be pitching for that 2025 Red Bull seat, that’s his goal and objective, and by going to AlphaTauri he sees that as his best route of stating his case for 2025.”
While there has been speculation about Ricciardo potentially replacing Perez sooner, Horner’s comments suggest that Red Bull does not plan to make that move just yet. However, the recent removal of Nyck De Vries from AlphaTauri indicates that Red Bull is not afraid to make changes when necessary.
Perez’s performance has recently declined, with a lack of competitiveness against Verstappen in qualifying. In the past five races, Perez has only achieved one podium finish, whereas he had been consistently finishing on the podium prior to that. Despite his struggles, Perez currently holds the second position in the world championship, and Horner expressed the team’s commitment to helping him regain his early-season form.
Former Formula 1 driver Pedro De La Rosa believes that Perez won’t be replaced by Ricciardo as early as 2024. De La Rosa stated, “I don’t think there is a strategy behind to say, ‘we’re bringing Daniel just to warm up for the future.’ I don’t know, I mean, I don’t think they know at this stage. It just very much depends on Daniel Ricciardo… I don’t think it’s the purpose of this change to put pressure on Sergio or bring him in.”
De La Rosa emphasized the importance for Ricciardo to make the most of every opportunity and showcase his speed, as his performance on the race track will greatly impact his future in Formula 1. He acknowledged that Ricciardo had faced challenges during his time at McLaren, but believes that he has the potential to excel based on his previous successes.
Ricciardo’s first practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix will take place on Friday during the first practice session, with the race scheduled for Sunday.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
