2024 hasn’t been a good year for Red Bull away from the track, owing largely to a series of controversies. The Christian Horner saga has reportedly left a lot of figures within the team unsettled, including three-time world champion Max Verstappen. Reports of Verstappen wanting to leave Red Bull started coming out and, Daniel Ricciardo recently addressed this possibility.
As seen in an interview uploaded on X, Ricciardo claimed that Verstappen leaving Red Bull would be a weird scenario. However, he feels Verstappen leaving Red Bull is always a possibility, because of F1’s unpredictable moves in the silly season. Still, he expects him to continue at the team, and at the same time, admitted that it was none of his concern. He said,
“He’s been on pole. He’s won – done everything already this year. I expect him to continue. But, it’s also not my business.”
Should Verstappen step away from Red Bull, Ricciardo might stand to benefit the most. Ever since returning to F1 with Red Bull’s sister team, Ricciardo has made it evident that he wants to drive for the Milton-Keynes-based outfit.
With Sergio Perez currently in his way, things haven’t been the easiest for Ricciardo. Additionally, the 2024 season has not gone his way so far, and he has to get the better of his teammate Yuki Tsunoda (at the very least) to get a shot at the Red Bull seat. Verstappen’s departure could open up that spot, but for now, he has to focus on making the best out of the 2024 season.
Daniel Ricciardo unfazed by Helmut Marko’s comments
Ricciardo has been under tremendous pressure because of speculations surrounding his future with Red Bull. The start of the 2024 season has only seen this pressure increase. Helmut Marko also asked Ricciardo to “come up with something soon” to prove his worth to Red Bull.
A report from GPFans stated that Ricciardo believes in himself and is optimistic that he can make his supporters proud. The Perth-born driver also said that he was in F1 for himself and not to prove a point to someone else.
Adding to his statement, Ricciardo claimed that the scrutiny from the media did not bother him either. He understands that it is a big part of F1, and both positive and negative talks come alongside it. However, it does not deviate his focus.
The Honey Badger remains focused on proving his worth through his on-track performances.
