Daniel Ricciardo sustained a fracture in his left wrist during open practice for the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix. Many believe that Ricciardo, who took the driver’s seat at AlphaTauri mid-season, has a very good chance of replacing Sergio Perez at RedBull. Former F1 champion Nico Rosberg is in favor of such talks and said that, unfortunately for Ricciardo, Perez’s stay at the team may have been inadvertently extended.
Sergio Perez’s performance at Red Bull has been under scrutiny for a long time now. Despite displaying some good performances, Perez constantly struggled to match Verstappen’s pace and produce consistent results, leaving his future in the team uncertain.
Ricciardo’s injury could be a blessing in disguise for Sergio Perez. The Mexican driver has struggled to keep up in recent races, and the break could give him a chance to stay longer with Red Bull and come back stronger.
Daniel Ricciardo’s break could give Sergio Perez a longer lifeline at Red Bull
Rosberg believes Ricciardo’s hand injury could be a mixed blessing for Perez. Rosberg suggests that Ricciardo’s pace break may have given Perez a longer career at Red Bull, giving him more time to prove himself and close the gap on Verstappen
When asked about the impact of Ricciardo’s injury on Perez’s future, Rosberg stated Daniel holds great importance for Red Bull and is well-liked by the team. However, Red Bull will certainly be patient and provide him with a fair opportunity.
“The latest from Christian Horner is that Daniel will be back in Qatar, so he still misses a couple of races, and then he’ll be able to come back and it’s apparently quite a decent break of the hand he’s had there, so it makes it difficult. But Daniel has is such a value to Red Bull, and he’s so liked by Red Bull that they’ll definitely be patient in giving him a clear chance.”
Rosberg explained that the break could potentially determine whether he gets a chance to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull or if he spends another year at AlphaTauri. In his opinion, the break might have the effect of extending his stay at AlphaTauri for another year.
Talking about Ricciardo’s current replacement, Liam Lawson, Rosberg said that he could be a potential candidate for a seat at Williams next season. The Grove-based team is currently evaluating its options for 2024, and they are not convinced about Logan Sargeant. Lawson could be a more attractive option, given his experience and track record.
Lawson could be a candidate for Williams’ seat
Rosberg envisions Ricciardo joining Tsunoda at Alphatauri, which raises questions over the future of young talent Liam Lawson. Lawson has delivered exceptional performances and has the potential to become a regular in Formula 1
Williams could be a possible destination for Lawson, as their current driver Logan Sargent failed to deliver up to expectations. Given his impressive record, Lawson could win a Williams seat, further fueling the ambition of a long-term stay in Formula 1, Rosberg suggested.
However, he mentioned that in order for Lawson to have a future with Williams or another team, he would have to completely separate himself from the Red Bull system, as Alex Albon did. This will allow him to explore opportunities outside of the Red Bull driver development program and get into the sport.
