Daniel Ricciardo has taken note of Helmut Marko’s worrying comments regarding his future in F1 and admits that his performance in upcoming races will likely seal his fate for 2025.
In the wake of Red Bull extending the contracts of Sergio Perez at Red Bull Racing and of Yuki Tsunoda at RB, the energy drink company is now focused on determining its line-up for the Faenza-based squad.
While it is faced with multiple options involving an array of drivers, including those competing in the lower leagues, Ricciardo and Red Bull reserve Liam Lawson have been singled at the leading candidates to fill RB’s vacant seat.
However, in an interview with Austrian outlet Kleine Zeitung, Marko suggested that Ricciardo may be reaching a dead end with Red Bull, as the company’s shareholders are keen on returning RB to its original role as a promoter of young talent.
"We have to put a young driver in there soon,” said Marko. “That would be Liam Lawson."
The Austrian’s comments don’t bode well for Ricciardo. Yet, the 34-year-old still believes that he’s in contention for a seat with RB in 2025, if he can boost his performance and register a string of good results.
“So, I’ve become really good at not reading things,” Ricciardo responded when asked in Austria on Thursday about Marko’s remarks.
“I actually didn’t know about it until I was told when I got here. Look,I don’t feel one way or another about it.
“I still know that the overriding thing in this sport is performance, and that’s it. That’s what will give me my best chance of staying here, I know that.
“It’s not going to be my smile or anything else. It’s the on-track stuff.
“I’ve obviously got a good opportunity, I say until the summer break, I don’t think that’s a deadline, but that’s obviously where you look at for the first half of the season.
“Yeah, trying to do what I can and obviously help my cause. I look back at Barcelona, and it’s hard to get excited about a 15th, but actually I was really happy with my race.
“So I would say it’s at least now two better weekends in a row. That’s what I’ve certainly had trouble doing this year, is having a kind of string of good results.
“Two is not enough of course, at least for where I want to be. Now we have two more ahead. I definitely have a chance to get into the summer break with some momentum.
“And on the Helmut stuff, yeah honestly, it’s fine. It doesn’t change what I’m going to do.”
Red Bull is scheduled to run Lawson at an upcoming test at Imola, the 22-year-old Kiwi taking to the track onboard an older-spec car.
Asked if the outing was an ominous sign as far as his situation was concerned, Ricciardo said that over time he’s learned not to worry about events over which he has no control
“I believe it’s been planned for a while,” he said. “If Liam goes and has an amazing test, like 100%, good for Liam, I’ve got no control over that, nor do I wish him poorly, not at all.
“I think I’m currently in the race seat, so I’ve got to do everything I can to control the things that I can.
“If I kick ass here, if I kick ass at Silverstone, then I think the narrative can change. I think I obviously have to own that and be on top of what I can do.
“I’m sure qualifying fifth in Montreal made Helmut smile.
“If I can do that a few more times, then I’m sure I’ll make him smile. It’s still so heavily on performance, and yeah, just keep focused on that.”
Should Red Bull choose to dispense with his services, Ricciardo admitted that he does not have any other options to stay on the grid for 2025.
“Do I have other options? I would say no,” he said. “I mean, I don't know. I'm not to be stubborn or arrogant about it, but I'm not looking anywhere else.
“I've said it, I really do enjoy being back in the [Red Bull] family.
“I weirdly do enjoy sometimes a little bit of pokes from Helmut because I think it can also be a way to get me a little bit fired up and try to get the best out of me.
“So yeah. In short, no.”
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