Red Bull reiterate Ricciardo stance as Perez questions loom

Ewan Gale
Thursday 29 December 2022 10:44

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has reiterated Daniel Ricciardo's signing as its third driver for 2023 is not intended to put pressure on Sergio Perez.

The Australian rejoined the F1 world championship-winning outfit after being dropped by McLaren following two disappointing seasons.

The appointment has since cast doubts over Perez's long-term future despite the Mexican putting pen to paper on a new two-year deal in May to continue alongside Max Verstappen through to the end of 2024.

Ricciardo will take on commercial duties with a view to rejoining the grid that year but Marko has reaffirmed the team's stance that there is no plan to promote the eight-time grand prix winner ahead of Perez.

"Sergio has shown that he can ride at a very high level," Marko told Servus TV.

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“If Max [Verstappen] is never there, Sergio will be. He won two races this year for a reason. We have to remember that we are a great team.

“We also have the largest number of sponsors on the grid. This means that we also have many commitments every year, such as car shows and roadshows in the United States.

“Who can do it better than Ricciardo with his smile, his 'shoeys' and I don’t know what else he has up his sleeve?

"If he has to replace one of our drivers he will. Then we will have a driver who we know will take the car to the finish line.

"But I repeat, it’s not that we want to put pressure on Sergio on this.”