Daniel Ricciardo it is a process of change Sergio Perez to Red Bull in 2025 when Photos of Max Verstappen the other party withdraws from the contract.
These are the words from the boss of the team Christian Horner ahead of Australia’s return to Formula 1 through the Red Bull sister team, AlphaTauri.
Ricciardo is under contract until the end of 2023 but nothing signed 2024.
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Speaking on F1 world podcast, Horner explained that Ricciardo wants to work on getting fit for next year before making his case on Perez’s behalf.
Perez signed a two-year contract to continue until the end of 2024 while Verstappen has a contract until the end of 2027.
“At the moment, there is something to the end of the season,” said Horner of Ricciardo at AlphaTauri.
“There are no thoughts or expectations beyond that. We loaned him to AlphaTauri until the end of the year.
“Obviously our drivers will be Max (Verstappen) and Checo (Perez) again next year, but it’s always good to have talent in reserve.
“(Ricciardo) really wants to be on the Red Bull seat for 2025, that’s his aim and goal, and going to AlphaTauri he sees it as the best way to make his case in 2025.”
Despite the speculation, Horner’s comments indicate that Red Bull will not be looking to replace Perez next year with Ricciardo.
However, the dismissal of Nyck De Vries from AlphaTauri also shows that Red Bull is not afraid to throw the ax for a while.
Perez has been falling of late, unable to match or even come close to Verstappen in qualifying.
In the last five races, the Mexican driver has only finished one stage. Before that, he had finished in every race except for one race.
While the 33-year-old is still second in the world championship, Horner said the team is determined to get him back to where he was at the start of the year.
“Checo has had some terrible Saturdays – five Saturdays in a row they didn’t get into Q3 and I think some of that is luck and some of that is self-inflicted,” Horner said.
“We’re just trying to help him at the moment. He’s still second in the world championship, he’s won two grands prix out of 10 this year and he’s started the season really well. We want to help him get back to that form.”
Pedro De La Rosa, who raced in Formula 1 until 1999 and 2012, said he does not see Perez being replaced by Ricciardo before 2024.
“I don’t think there is a way to say, ‘we are bringing Daniel to prepare for the future’,” the Spaniard said.
“I don’t know, I mean, I don’t think he knows at the moment. It just depends on Daniel Ricciardo.
“This is Formula 1, it’s a crazy sport. Everything you do in a racing car and everything you achieve on Sunday, will have an effect on your future, where you’re going. I don’t think it’s the intention of this change to force Sergio or to bring him.
“But I think for Daniel, you have to take every opportunity if it’s your last race and make sure you get the keys back but not the car and make sure you’re back and you have speed.
“Because we must not forget that Daniel was very fast, very fast. He has had two very bad seasons at McLaren. I would say that it has had a big impact on his future. He was amazing in all the other teams he has been in.”
Ricciardo’s first round of the Hungarian Grand Prix will take place at 9.30pm (AEST) on Friday.
The Hungarian Grand Prix starts on Sunday at 11pm.
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