Daniel Ricciardo faced a challenging period during his McLaren stint. However, things took a turn when he became a Red Bull reserve last November. Nevertheless, the path ahead was not exactly what Ricciardo had envisioned. After taking on the Red Bull reserve role, he quickly transitioned to Red Bull’s sister team, AlphaTauri, where he replaced the underperforming Nyck de Vries.
Unfortunately, his return to the F1 grid was cut short by a wrist injury during a practice session at the Dutch GP. Nevertheless following that Ricciardo made a noteworthy comeback at the Mexican GP, securing a crucial P7 for the AlphaTauri team. However, his ultimate aspiration to regain a spot at Red Bull still remains a “fairy tale”, given that the Milton Keynes team is opting to retain Perez for the 2024 season.
While expanding on this the Honey Badger exclusively told RacingNews365, “Obviously my goal is to return to Red Bull one day, that’s the fairy tale and I would love to finish my career there. But I also try not to get caught up in that.”
Ricciardo also stated how this is “a step back to take two steps forward”. At present, he feels confident to propel the Faenza-based team. However for this to happen, the 34-year-old said, “We are also getting a little more support from Red Bull, the energy is going in the right place and then we’ll see.”
Nevertheless, despite these affirmations, Ricciardo remains unwavering in his aspirations and has an itch to secure a chance to drive a winning car once again. He said, “It would be really great if I can drive again in a car that can win, but otherwise I just want to return to a place where I feel I can be at my best.”
How Christian Horner intends to address Daniel Ricciardo’s yearning?
Red Bull experienced a remarkable 2023 season, showcasing dominance with victories, consistent 1-2 positions, and clinching both titles. However, amidst these triumphs, the spotlight turned to Sergio Perez, who encountered challenges with the RB19, particularly in qualifying performances.
Nevertheless, despite the ups and downs, Perez managed to hold onto P2 and secure a seat for the 2024 season. However while Perez dealt with these issues, attention also shifted to Daniel Ricciardo who transitioned to the role of an AlphaTauri driver, fulfilling his fairytale dream of joining Red Bull.
Reflecting on this dual scenario, Horner in a recent interview with Sky Sports F1, declared that the lineup for the 2025 season remains undecided. He said, “As a team, you want to field the most competitive pairing that you can have, and you want the right dynamic in the team.”
Later, Horner tactfully highlighted the positive trajectory of Perez’s performance over the past three years. Additionally, he also extended a warm welcome to Daniel Ricciardo as he rejoined the Red Bull team.
The 49-year-old said, “Max and Checo have been a tremendously successful pairing. Checo, in his three years with us, has finished fourth, third and second so he’s on a good trajectory. Daniel is well known to us – it’s great to have him back in the Red Bull fold – and of course everything is open for 2025 onwards.”
Nevertheless while concluding his remarks, Horner underscored the team’s openness to explore potential candidates from both within and outside the team. He said, ” For us, to have options internally and also externally is no bad place to be.”
