Forget About Red Bull, Daniel Ricciardo Would Be Lucky to Retain V-CARB Seat as Ex-Team Boss Sounds Alarms

Forget About Red Bull, Daniel Ricciardo Would Be Lucky to Retain V-CARB Seat as Ex-Team Boss Sounds Alarms

Daniel Ricciardo’s fight for the 2025 Red Bull seat has gotten off to the worst possible start. With 2024 being crucial for Ricciardo to convince Red Bull to offer him their seat again, the honey badger has failed to impress. After finishing P16, with a late-race spin, at the Saudi Arabian GP, ex-F1 team boss, Eddie Jordan has warned the Aussie that he should focus on retaining his V-CARB seat before dreaming about something bigger.

Discussing Ricciardo’s season so far on the Formula for Success podcast, Jordan explained, “He [Ricciardo] needs a result, more than anyone perhaps. And he needs to get it together because otherwise, he is going to get replaced.”

During the season opener in Bahrain, V-CARB gave Ricciardo the preferential strategy over Yuki Tsunoda. They asked the latter to let Ricciardo pass since he was on fresher tires. The order, however, turned out to be in vain. Neither driver was able to finish in the top 10, and Tsunoda was visibly upset.

The Saudi Arabian GP proved to be an even more challenging race for Ricciardo. He was well out of reach for points when he spun out on turn 1 towards the end of the race. While it didn’t ruin his race, his spin led to the possibility of the safety car coming out. That could have compromised a Red Bull 1-2 being led by Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

Sergio Perez salvages F1 career at Daniel Ricciardo’s cost

Eddie Jordan’s comments about Ricciardo come in the backdrop of Helmut Marko putting pressure on the Perth-born driver to deliver. And while Jordan agrees that Ricciardo is an asset to the paddock as he brings an unmatched personality, it isn’t enough for him to keep his seat.

While discussing Ricciardo’s fate, Jordan emphasized the pressure even the sponsors would be putting on him to get results. On the other hand, with two P2 finishes in the opening two races of the season, Sergio Perez seems to be performing consistently to salvage his Red Bull seat.

If Ricciardo’s bad form continues, Liam Lawson, a talented driver waiting patiently on the sidelines might replace him. Perez’s performances meanwhile, could earn him an extension.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull V-CARB

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

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