Daniel Ricciardo has declared some of the criticism he’s copped in an up-and-down 2024 F1 season has been blown out of proportion.
The comments come as Red Bull supremo Helmut Marko revealed the two drivers he considers the most in-contention to replace the horribly out of form Sergio Perez, of which neither were the 34-year-old Aussie.
Rumours surrounding Perez’s future with the team – despite only just signing a fresh two-year deal last month – have reached fever-pitch off the back of a string of poor performances.
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The Mexican has scored just 15 points from the last six races, and has failed to score in three of them. His lacklustre performances has left Red Bull vulnerable in the constructors championship in its quest for a third straight driver-teams double.
Sergio Perez is under pressure to keep his seat at Red Bull. NurPhoto via Getty Images
Amid reports he has a performance clause that could trigger his axing in as little as two races time, Marko said Red Bull would do an “evaluation” on Perez in the mid-season break between the Belgian and Dutch grands prix.
“All Formula 1 contracts have exit clauses, most of them related to performance – or let’s say for the top drivers,” he said.
“As I mentioned before, we will have an evaluation during the summer break – and then we will make a decision.”
Liam Lawson took part in an aero test for Red Bull at Silverstone overnight. Although running was limited to 200km, or 33 laps, it’s plenty of running for the team to perform a solid evaluation of the 22-year-old Kiwi.
Liam Lawson is among the favourites to get a callup to the senior Red Bull Racing team alongside Max Verstappen. Getty
A similar test last season was the catalyst for Ricciardo’s return to the grid with AlphaTauri last season in favour of Nyck de Vries.
Marko confirmed Lawson was one of the two leading candidates to replace Perez.
“First we have to see,” Marko continued.
“Lawson is testing at Silverstone on Thursday. And yeah, so two more races and there will be more outings with Lawson. There’s also Yuki Tsunoda who is doing very well.”
Lawson is considered a shoo-in for a seat on the grid next season, presumably at RB. But the inclusion of Tsunoda is somewhat of a surprise.
Yuki Tsunoda has also been named as a potential replacement for Perez. Getty
The Japanese ace has been long believed to be somewhat out-of-favour with the Red Bull higher-ups, particularly given his fiery temperament.
However, he has consistently been the second-best of the four Red Bull drivers this season behind Max Verstappen and scored points again at Silverstone.
Having spent the early part of the season as the under-pressure Red Bull driver, Perez’ slump has taken the heat right off Ricciardo.
He finished 13th in the British Grand Prix, after a poor strategy call from the team left him too close to traffic in front before starting his final push lap in the second part of qualifying.
Daniel Ricciardo at the British Grand Prix. Formula 1 via Getty Images
He sits 13th in the drivers standings with 11 points. He’s only one spot behind teammate Yuki Tsunoda, albeit nine points adrift.
Ricciardo has had two points-paying grand prix finishes, as well as a fifth place finish at the Miami sprint race.
Tsunoda meanwhile has picked up Sunday points on six occasions.
While the Aussie was realistic about his on-track performances, he said some of the speculation and criticism had been “blown apart”.
“I know my year, sure I’ve had a few little highs, but as a whole, it hasn’t been what was probably expected and what I want for myself,” he said.
“So I know when you’re not kicking arse, of course you’re going to receive a little bit of criticism. But sometimes it’s probably blown apart you know.
“I don’t think the gap has ever been … or rarely has it been you know, half a second or something to Yuki.
“I think also he’s been getting a lot of praise, so I’m not getting my arse kicked by someone that’s not very fast. I think everyone acknowledges he’s got very good one-lap pace.
Ricciardo during the British Grand Prix. NurPhoto via Getty Images
“But yeah, the teammate battle is obviously one that’s closely watched.”
Former F1 driver-turned-commentator Martin Brundle suggested Perez would have already been sacked if not for commercial interests in keeping him in the car – not least of all the Mexican Grand Prix in October.
“We know that it’s commercially attractive to them, we know that he’s a good foil for Max,” Brundle said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast.
“He’s normally fast enough to do a good job and bring some relevant information – not fast enough to bother Max, particularly – and it works for them, and they have won both championships.
Sergio Perez could be sacked before the Dutch Grand Prix. NurPhoto via Getty Images
“But all of a sudden, they’ve got some rivals on their hands, and they can’t comfortably win the constructors’ title without Sergio being on tip-top form.
“So the ground rules have changed in that respect and you wonder how long they will be able to cope with this.
“But with the sponsorship, with Red Bull’s commerciality in North and South America, with the Mexican Grand Prix yet to come would you really not want Sergio Perez on the grid? So that’s the balancing point.
“If he was ‘Driver B’ and none of that nationality or commerciality mattered, they would have replaced him – let’s be honest.”
The F1 season continues at the Hungarian Grand Prix Sunday week, the first of a double-header with the Belgian Grand Prix before the three week mid-season break.