For the first time in Formula 1’s history, the grid looked identical at the end of the 2023 season and the beginning of the 2024 season.
However, that won’t be the case heading into next year, with Lewis Hamilton giving the paddock the shake-up it desperately needed with his move to Ferrari.
Speaking on the F1 Nation Podcast, legendary driver Tom Kristensen has suggested one driver who might be coming to the end of his Formula 1 career.
Several rookies will fancy their chances of being on the grid in 2025.
Oliver Bearman’s spectacular debut for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia might have earned him a place in Haas’s line-up next year.
He’s set to appear in free practice six times for the American outfit this year and that will give him the perfect opportunity to impress new team principal Ayao Komatsu.
Mercedes want to replace Hamilton with 17-year-old protégé Andrea Kimi Antonelli next year if he has a positive Formula 2 campaign.
However, the name on everyone’s lips right now is Liam Lawson and he watched on ominously from the RB garage in Suzuka on Sunday.
He witnessed Daniel Ricciardo’s car hit the barriers on the first lap and Tom Kristensen doesn’t think he’s doing enough to earn an F1 seat in 2025.
The Australian looks set to survive longer than some reports suggested, but as his predecessor will attest to, Red Bull don’t always wait until the end of a season to make a change.
READ MORE: Visa Cash App RB driver Daniel Ricciardo’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend
Tom Kristensen thinks Daniel Ricciardo isn’t doing enough to earn 2025 F1 seat
The Visa Cash App RB team are establishing themselves as the best of the rest on the F1 grid right now.
However, that’s almost completely down to one man at the moment and that’s Yuki Tsunoda.
The Japanese driver has seven points to his name already after back-to-back fantastic drives in Australia and Japan.
Unfortunately, Daniel Ricciardo hasn’t had the same impact this season although there were positive signs in Suzuka.
He was hundreds off his teammate in qualifying but his crash with Alex Albon has only upped the pressure on him.
Kristensen suggests that Ricciardo hasn’t done enough yet to earn a seat in 2025.
Considering his dream was to end his career with Red Bull, he appears to be a long way off achieving that right now.
Daniel Ricciardo has plenty of work to do to secure RB seat
Journalist Tom Clarkson asked Kristensen: “You touched on him being close to Yuki Tsunoda in qualifying which he was, but is being close to Yuki Tsunoda enough for him to keep that drive?”
Kristensen replied: “Probably not. Probably not within the means of the people in the team, within the Red Bull group.
“They’ve given him this chance and they expect more of him, we all expect more of Daniel Ricciardo.
“We’re used to seeing the late braking, the overtaking, the strong performances and yeah we just can’t wait to see them.
“But, they haven’t been here yet and of course this sort of sits into you and I don’t even want to mention that we saw him struggle at McLaren.
“And hopefully that’s not what we are seeing or witnessing.”
Paul Stoddart’s comments on Ricciardo are more pertinent than ever – opinion
There will be plenty of fans who agree with Kristensen that Ricciardo’s 2025 seat is at risk, especially with Lawson waiting in the wings.
Before the Japanese Grand Prix, former Minardi team principal Paul Stoddart had suggested that Ricciardo is better than the performances he’s currently putting in.
He said to Speedcafe: The drivers they’ve got… Daniel [Ricciardo] needs his confidence back but he’s a good driver and he’s a better driver than you’re seeing at the moment.”
Nico Hulkenberg admitted after the Australian Grand Prix that he couldn’t believe how slow the Australian was.
He was in discussion over a new chassis after the next race in Shanghai but might need more than that to rediscover his best form.
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