Daniel Ricciardo Optimistic About F1 Future After Recent Performance
Daniel Ricciardo is confident that his recent string of strong performances in Formula 1 has significantly boosted his chances of securing a seat at Red Bull for the 2025 season. Under pressure to deliver results as Red Bull considers promoting Liam Lawson to a full-time position next year, Ricciardo has responded with solid and consistent performances.
There are even speculations that Ricciardo could be replaced after the summer break due to a clause in Lawson’s contract allowing him to seek other opportunities if not given a seat. However, Ricciardo has shown his capability, especially at the Austrian Grand Prix, where he outperformed his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, and managed to finish in the points.
Despite Red Bull not showing the pace to finish in the top 10 at the Red Bull Ring, Ricciardo managed to defend and secure a good result. Speaking after the race, he said, “I feel like that’s three weeks in a row now where I’ve gotten the most out of it. Still searching for a bit more perfection, but yeah, three on the bounce. At least I can say I walked out of the paddock three weekends in a row now, on a Sunday, feeling proud. I just got to keep that up.”
Ricciardo is convinced that his consistent on-track results will help him convince Helmut Marko and change his opinion. “I’ve known Helmut for a long time, and at the end of the day, he doesn’t care about personality,” Ricciardo explained. “What matters to him is the stopwatch and the classification. He’s a competitor, and that’s all he wants to see from us. That can make him change his opinion about me from not thinking much to suddenly thinking well.”
“I think this weekend helped. As I said, it’s a bit more consistent now, so I just need to keep it going, and hopefully by the summer break he’ll be on a beach somewhere saying, ‘Ricciardo, he’s still got it’.”
Ricciardo was pleased to have beaten both Alpines, which seemed faster this weekend. “I don’t remember all of the races. I probably need to watch it again to rate how happy I am, but I’m definitely more happy than sad,” Ricciardo concluded. “Obviously Haas outscored us, but we weren’t quick enough. I also think Alpine was quicker, so to hold on, I think the team helped. We had the two hard tires; we could pit a little earlier and capitalize on track position, so they pitted me at the right time, and then I just had to watch the mirrors and try not to mess up, basically.”
Ricciardo’s future at Red Bull is still uncertain, but his recent performances certainly increase his chances of securing a spot for the next season. With a series of consistent races and good placements, Ricciardo hopes to continue impressing and secure his position in the team, showing that he still has much to offer in the world of Formula 1.
