Fresh doubt emerges over Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull future with Perez boost

Sergio Perez, Red Bull, and Daniel Ricciardo, VCARB

Helmut Marko says Red Bull still believe Sergio Perez can “pull himself together” despite widespread reports of a potential driver swap with Daniel Ricciardo.

Instead, Marko implied, it is the Aussie who is the one under threat of losing his job as the decision-makers want VCARB to once again be a “junior team”.

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Much has been said about Red Bull’s driver situation of late with reports initially claiming Ricciardo’s days were numbered and Red Bull reportedly intent on promoting reserve driver Liam Lawson to their junior team.

With both Red Bull seats signed off, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez under contract for 2025, that would’ve meant the end of Ricciardo’s time on the grid.

But with Perez managing just four points-scoring finishes since his last podium result in Miami, sensationally it was then claimed Ricciardo’s time with Red Bull not only isn’t over but that he’s in contention to take Perez’s seat after the summer break.

PlanetF1.com understands there is a clause in Perez’s contract that allows for such a demotion, which it is being said is based on his points in the Drivers’ Championship.

If he’s more than 100 points behind Verstappen when F1 enters the summer break, they can swap him out. And with two races to go, he’s 137 points down.

His results, or lack thereof, are costing Red Bull in the championship with McLaren and Mercedes both outscoring the Woking team since Perez’s last champagne celebrations.

But while Marko acknowledges the importance of the Constructors’ Championship, he hinted that the team isn’t ready to throw in Perez’s towel.

“The fact is that the Constructors’ Championship is very important for the team and all employees,” he told F1-Insider. “Because the better we do there, the more bonus payments each individual employee will receive.

“That means that Sergio Perez has to deliver and is under pressure.”

But while he is under pressure, Marko is not yet ready to swing the axe.

“We expect Sergio to pull himself together again. He has already managed to get out of a form of crisis several times in the past,” he said.

“Any other driver would not look good against Max either. Max is in the form of his life and is still getting better.”

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Instead, the 81-year-old turned the spotlight back onto Ricciardo and his position without the Red Bull organisation.

It seems there’s more chance of Ricciardo losing his drive altogether than there is of him replacing Perez.

“It has now been confirmed by all decision-makers that Racing Bull [VCARB] will be a junior team again in the future, which mainly has training purposes,” Marko said.

“There are still three races until the summer break. We will then sit down together and make decisions that go in this direction.”

And with that as the criteria, Lawson is the hot favourite to partner Yuki Tsunoda next season.

“We will not release him because he will get another chance with us,” insisted Marko with Lawson having completed five races in 2023 when he filled in for the injured Ricciardo who broke his hand during practice for the Dutch GP.

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