Christian Horner paves the way for Daniel Ricciardo to REPLACE Sergio Perez at Red Bull

Horner and Ricciardo — Photo: © LAT Images

Daniel Ricciardo

Horner paves way for Ricciardo to REPLACE Perez at Red Bull

Christian Horner may well have opened the door for Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Tuesday 18 July 2023 11:27

Christian Horner has revealed that he believes Daniel Ricciardo is using his time at AlphaTauri to fight for a Red Bull seat in 2025, with Sergio Perez's future in doubt.

Ricciardo's highly anticipated return to F1 arrives this weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix – a track where the Australian claimed victory in 2014.

Replacing Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri, the Honey Badger will line up alongside Yuki Tsunoda for the Faenza-based outfit.

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And even though he is yet to complete a competitive lap in F1 this season, Horner believes that Ricciardo may well have his eyes firmly set on a Red Bull seat in 2025.

Perez has struggled to keep pace with Max Verstappen in his RB19 this year – and even though the team principal confirmed the Mexican will race for them in 2024 – there were no promises made regarding the subsequent season.

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“At the moment there’s only something in place until the end of the season," he told the F1 Nation podcast. "So there’s no thoughts or expectations beyond that.

“We’ve loaned him to AlphaTauri to the end of the year. Obviously our drivers are going to be Max and and Checo again next year. But it’s always good to have talent in reserve.

“I think Daniel is viewing [his time at] AlphaTauri, [that] he firmly wants to be pitching for that 2025 Red Bull seat. That’s his golden objective. And by going to AlphaTauri, I think he sees that as his best route of stating his case for 2025.”