F1 News: Red Bull Advisor Gives Daniel Ricciardo Fans Hope For Sergio Perez’s Seat – “Is A Possibility”
Daniel Ricciardo, former McLaren racer and current AlphaTauri driver, might soon find himself occupying Sergio Perez’s position at Red Bull. This comes after rumours intensified concerning Perez’s shaky future with the team due to his recent lacklustre performance. To add fuel to the fire, Ricciardo’s abrupt replacement of Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri has left many believing that he is being prepped for the Red Bull slot.
Ricciardo’s move to AlphaTauri came on the heels of an underwhelming stint at McLaren that ended in 2022, followed by a period as Red Bull’s third driver. Ricciardo, a seasoned driver with eight grand prix victories to his name, has maintained his desire for a full-time and ‘competitive’ seat in the circuit, with his sights set on Red Bull.
During an interaction with Sport.de, Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko hinted at a potential spot for Ricciardo in the Red Bull team. He said,
“We haven’t made any promises. He knows that if he performs well, there is a possibility. Life alongside Max is certainly not easy. There are very few drivers who can withstand Verstappen in terms of speed and psychologically.”
Even though AlphaTauri has been struggling this season with a measly two points on the constructors’ championship board, landing them in tenth place, Ricciardo sees it as a stepping stone to his ultimate goal – finishing his F1 career with Red Bull. As for Perez, his future at Red Bull hangs in the balance, with his contract expiring in 2024 and no clear indication of its renewal.
In summary, while Daniel Ricciardo’s entry into AlphaTauri has sparked speculation about Sergio Perez’s future with Red Bull, Helmut Marko has indicated that a well-performing Ricciardo could potentially replace Perez in the future. Despite AlphaTauri’s poor season performance, Ricciardo sees the position as a pathway to his final goal of racing with Red Bull. At the moment, no promises have been made, and Perez’s future with Red Bull post-2024 remains uncertain.
