Daniel Ricciardo given BOOST over F1 future by team switch rumor

Daniel Ricciardo, Bahrain GP, RB, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Ricciardo given BOOST over F1 future by team switch rumor

Daniel Ricciardo will be looking to secure a seat for 2025

Originally written by Sheona Mountford. This version is a translation.

Wednesday 5 June 2024 02:00

Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 future could be safe as a shock team switch emerges in the 2025 driver market.

The Aussie has suffered a dip in form over his past few seasons, booted from McLaren and without a drive in 2023.

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Returning to Red Bull as their third driver, Ricciardo joined Alpha Tauri - now Visa Cash App RB - for the second half of the season.

However this season, Ricciardo has underperformed compared to team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, who has achieved consecutive points finishes, whilst the Australian has failed to score a point in a grand prix.

Daniel Ricciardo returned to F1 midway through the 2023 season

Yuki Tsunoda has come out on top of his team-mate so far this season

Will RB retain Ricciardo for 2025?

However, if he fails the 34-year-old could be given a lifeline if Tsunoda makes a shock team switch.

Discussing the driver market in his blog, Joe Saward suggested a spot at Sauber/Audi could materialise for the Japanese driver.

“If Ocon jumps to Haas, there is still an Audi seat available and while keeping Bottas or Zhou might be an option, the whisper on the Monaco waterfront was that Yuki Tsunoda is now top of the list of the German manufacturer,” Saward wrote.

If Tsunoda moves to Audi this could solve a problem for RB, being able to promote reserve driver Liam Lawson, who may begin to look elsewhere for a race seat, and retain Ricciardo.

Could Liam Lawson return to F1 next year?

“Red Bull needs to fit five drivers into four seats if it wants to hold on to Liam Lawson and while Daniel Ricciardo has been a little disappointing this year, he would still be a good yardstick by which to measure young Lawson,” Saward added.

“The alternative would be to drop Riccardo and have Yuki and Lawson, or have the two Antipodeans and leave Yuki out.”

Red Bull McLaren Daniel Ricciardo Yuki Tsunoda Sauber/Audi