VCARB recently confirmed Daniel Ricciardo’s departure from the team, announcing Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson as his replacement, marking a long-awaited debut in full-time Formula 1. Prior to the official news, Ricciardo entered his final race weekend amid intense speculation, with rumors surrounding his exit swirling during the Marina Bay Street Circuit event.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner revealed key insights into Ricciardo’s departure from the junior team VCARB, suggesting that senior advisor Helmut Marko had considered replacing Ricciardo as early as the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
The Australian was initially brought in last season to replace Nyck De Vries, with RB hoping he would enhance team performance and provide mentorship to Yuki Tsunoda. However, the current season proved challenging for the 35-year-old, as he often struggled to keep pace with his Japanese teammate.
Horner explained that Red Bull had viewed Ricciardo as a backup plan should Sergio Perez’s form dip further. In an interview on the F1 Nation Podcast, the Red Bull boss emphasized that Ricciardo’s departure was primarily due to a lack of consistency in his performances, which ultimately influenced the team’s decision.
“I think it was the lack of consistency. I mean he started the season roughly, then Miami was a weekend of two halves, the Friday and Saturday morning were fantastic and it looked like the Daniel of old, defending against Ferraris, out-driving the car, but then Saturday afternoon and the Sunday were disastrous. And even around Barcelona, Helmut wanted him out of the car, and there was already a lot of pressure on him there.” “ Horner said.
“I’ve done my very best to buy him as much time in the car to allow him to deliver, otherwise he would have been out of the car after Barcelona. I think that all the drivers are under pressure to deliver, but the reason that Daniel was in that car was to get himself back into a position to ultimately be there to pick up the pieces if Checo didn’t deliver,” he added.
🚨 | Christian Horner confirms Helmut Marko originally wanted to replace Daniel Ricciardo after Barcelona:
“I mean, he started the season roughly, and then Miami was a weekend of two halves. The Friday and Saturday morning was fantastic […] but then the Saturday afternoon and… pic.twitter.com/tGwIWPavxI
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) September 30, 2024
Marko, who continues to play a key role in Red Bull’s motorsport operations, has repeatedly emphasized the importance of giving Lawson another opportunity within the team this year. His comments reflect a strong belief in Lawson’s potential and a desire to reintegrate him into Red Bull’s F1 program.
On the other hand, Ricciardo has reportedly been offered an ambassador role at Red Bull, and whether or not he takes the role remains to be seen.
Read More: Daniel Ricciardo Reveals Max Verstappen’s Gesture After a Difficult 2024 Start
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
