As of: March 26, 2024, 11:50 a.m
By: Hannes Niemeyer
Comments
Press
Split
Will Formula 1 soon see its first driver change?
Daniel Ricciardo's seat wobbles.
Red Bull apparently issues an ultimatum.
Melbourne – It was supposed to be the big restart in the late autumn of Daniel Ricciardo’s career.
The favorite of so many Formula 1 fans finally returned to his “home”, to Red Bull, after years of being teased by other teams.
In his first year as a substitute driver, he managed to jump straight back into the cockpit in the middle of last season for the weak rookie Nyck de Vries in the second Red Bull team, the Racing Bulls, who were still called Alpha Tauri last season.
Ricciardo's hope: Good performances at the Racing Bulls in the current season could be a stepping stone to a place next to Max Verstappen in the franchise's top team.
He sees himself there too and has already announced aggressively that he wants to give serious competition to the previous number two, Sergio Perez.
After three races of the season, the trend is now pointing in a completely different direction.
Formula 1 star on the hit list: Ricciardo is threatened with losing his cockpit
Ricciardo is apparently much more on the hit list instead of on the move.
The paddock will pick up speed next season at the latest with Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari.
A place at Mercedes becomes available, and the future of the Grand Prix winner from Melbourne, Carlos Sainz, is also open.
Nico Hülkenberg's place at Haas is also not entirely certain.
However, these scenarios are more topics for the coming season.
Ricciardo could have long since lost his place by then.
Daniel Ricciardo's seat in the Formula 1 cockpit seems to wobble a lot.
© IMAGO / Motorsport Images + IMAGO / Action Plus
Because Red Bull motorsport consultant Dr.
Helmut Marko was already counting on the Australian and said before the race in Melbourne that he had to “think of something”.
The result at the Australian Grand Prix left something to be desired.
It was only enough for twelfth place, despite a few failures in the field.
Ricciardo's teammate Yuki Tsunoda, on the other hand, finished eighth and thus in the points.
And Ricciardo also urgently needs a result like this - otherwise things will soon be really tight.
Formula 1 team gives star driver a tough ultimatum – Ricciardo still has two races left
Because as the
New Zealand Herald
now reports, Red Bull is said to have given the 34-year-old a tough ultimatum.
Boss Helmut Marko is said to have made it clear that Ricciardo still has two chances: the races in Japan and China in April.
According to the report, if the Australian underperforms there too, there should be a driver change.
This scenario is not entirely unlikely.
The Racing Bulls in particular, as a sub-team of Red Bull, have been known for numerous driver changes in recent years.
Marko himself upped the ante on Ricciardo after the Melbourne Grand Prix, saying “something mental” was holding back the multiple Grand Prix winner.
And another problem: Ricciardo's successor is already ready.
Young driver Liam Lawson jumped into the cockpit last season and impressed.
Marko is also considered a big fan of the New Zealander and has already predicted a future driver's seat for him.
So Ricciardo has to deliver so that his seat isn't at stake.
My news
Sweater, park bench, daffodils: The hidden messages in Princess Kate's video reading
“That’s disrespectful”: Civil servants earn as little as citizens’ benefit recipients – and the traffic lights are watching
Seriously injured ski jumping ace with devastating bedside diagnosis
Putin wants an “empire” – also with the help of Soviet material: “Losses are an acceptable price” read
“Show of Force”: There is also a crunch between Russia and NATO
Many adults are gifted and don't know it: These characteristics speak for reading
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen failed to deliver in Melbourne for the first time this season.
The world champion retired early with a brake problem.
Even though he dominated the first races in the Red Bull, there is always speculation that the Dutchman will move to Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes cockpit, which will be available from 2025.
Now Verstappen made himself clear.
(han)