The cogs behind the Formula 1 driver’s market are turning in the background right now, but aside from Lewis Hamilton’s extraordinary move to Ferrari, nothing has been announced yet.
Carlos Sainz has admitted recently that he’s talking to a few teams on the grid and he’s unlikely to be the only one.
Speaking on the Autosport Podcast, journalist Jake Boxall-Legge believes one driver is already putting himself out of contention for the most lucrative seat on the grid.
There is plenty of uncertainty surrounding who will be driving for Red Bull in 2025 and beyond.
Max Verstappen is contracted until the end of the 2028 season, but that hasn’t stopped other teams trying to lure him out of his deal.
Toto Wolff really wants him to replace Lewis Hamilton, while Aston Martin will do ‘whatever it takes’ to hire the Dutchman.
However, if someone is going to leave the team, it’s much more likely to be Sergio Perez when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Unfortunately, it now looks less and less likely that if the Mexican departs it’ll be Daniel Ricciardo who replaces him at Red Bull.
READ MORE: Visa Cash App RB driver Daniel Ricciardo’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend
The £105,000-a-week driver has had a campaign to forget so far in 2024 and has been outshone by his less experienced teammate.
Daniel Ricciardo less and less likely to earn Red Bull seat in 2025
When Ricciardo returned to the AlphaTauri – now Visa Cash App RB – team, he made it clear that his dream and his ultimate aim was to return to Red Bull.
Nyck de Vries wasn’t up to scratch halfway through his rookie year and the Australian proved in one test that he was the right man to replace him.
Unfortunately, his comeback to Formula 1 didn’t quite go to plan.
He had to take a five-race break after breaking his hand avoiding a stranded Oscar Piastri in the Netherlands and Liam Lawson impressed as the team’s super sub that year.
However, it was hoped with a full winter to prepare and a pre-season in Bahrain, Ricciardo could look further up the grid and potentially even challenge for podiums.
Unfortunately, it hasn’t gone to plan for Ricciardo and he now looks less likely than ever before to drive for Red Bull.
That could be good news for Sergio Perez, although he’s still got plenty of competition to be Max Verstappen’s teammate.
Sergio Perez unlikely to be replaced by Daniel Ricciardo
Talking about the two RB drivers, Boxall-Legge said: “He’s [Yuki Tsunoda] had a really good start to the season, absolutely blown [Daniel] Ricciardo away.
“Ricciardo who was the guy we were saying, oh he’ll come in and replace [Sergio] Perez, that’s looking less likely by the day.
“But, I just don’t know how… if I was at Red Bull, I would consider Tsunoda surely.
“[Christian] Horner doesn’t seem to rate him, Helmut Marko always seems relatively hot and cold, he’s happy to praise Tsunoda when he’s done a good job but equally if he’s had a slightly less good day, he does tend to stick the boot in.
“So, you don’t really know where he stands.”
Has Yuki Tsunoda leapfrogged Daniel Ricciardo in the Red Bull wishlist?
While Daniel Ricciardo is looking less likely at this early stage of the season to earn a promotion to the Red Bull team, his teammate’s stock is only rising.
Yuki Tsunoda already has seven points to his name and has outscored the other nine drivers who are part of the bottom half of the grid combined.
He’s never been under consideration for a Red Bull seat but has earned recent praise from Helmut Marko which suggests they are keeping a close eye on him.
There has been a suggestion within the paddock that the 23-year-old was under pressure heading into this season.
The tables have very much turned within the RB after just four races and after his DNF in Japan, it’s Daniel Ricciardo who needs a strong result in China to dispel any discussion about his future.
The post ‘Less likely by the day’: £105k-a-week driver now looks out of the picture for Red Bull seat – journalist appeared first on F1 Oversteer.