F1 pundit reveals reason behind Ricciardo Red Bull snub for 2024

Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo — Photo: © LAT Images

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F1 pundit reveals reason behind Ricciardo Red Bull SNUB for 2024

Sergio Perez's future was up in the air for most of the 2023 season

Cal Gaunt

Tuesday 30 January 2024 21:57

In the midst of widespread speculation anticipating Red Bull Racing's potential replacement of Sergio Perez with Daniel Ricciardo for the 2024 Formula 1 season, journalist Lawrence Edmondson has delved into the decision-making dynamics on the Unlapped Podcast.

While Perez navigates the final year of his contract with the team, Edmondson shed light on the broader objectives of the Red Bull group.

Notably, the strategic alliance with Visa Cash App RB (known as VCARB or simply RB), a lucrative partnership for the team, emerged as a crucial factor that might have influenced the decision by key figures such as Helmut Marko and Christian Horner to maintain the existing driver lineup for the upcoming season.

Daniel Ricciardo had long been touted as a potential successor to Sergio Perez last season

Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda will instead lead Visa Cash App RB for the 2024 season

Ricciardo the big name at VCARB

“To go to the [Daniel] Ricciardo point, we talked about it a lot last season and a lot of fans I’ve seen in other places have asked in comments to other articles they’ve said well why won’t Red Bull promote Ricciardo in place of [Sergio] Perez, this is exactly why," Edmondson said.

“They wanted their big-name driver to lead this newly-named team and if you’re Visa, you’re coming in and they can lead very heavily on a personality like Ricciardo.

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“I think they can have a lot of fun about the fact that everyone hates the name. I think you’ve got a guy in there, and Yuki [Tsunoda] as well, just not caring.

“I think they’ve got two great drivers to deal with that situation if that makes sense, in terms of the media. Once we’re into the season, I think those two guys will be really key.

“It’s hard to dislike those two guys and I think that’s really going to help the team out because people are going to say, the team sucks but I still really like the drivers.

“Keeping Ricciardo in and hoping Ricciardo with a full season under his belt is good again as he was a few years back.”

Daniel Ricciardo Sergio Perez Visa Cash App RB