Mid-season driver changes aren’t necessarily a rarity in Formula 1. Just last year, Red Bull elected to sack Nyck de Vries from junior team AlphaTauri, and draft Daniel Ricciardo back into their line-up.
The Bulls also took early action in 2019 as Pierre Gasly struggled in his first six months or so alongside Max Verstappen. They called up Alex Albon from Toro Rosso for the second half of the season, and demoted Gasly.
Verstappen’s initial arrival came at the expense of Daniil Kvyat, who lost his Red Bull seat just four races into the 2016 season. But it’s not just Christian Horner who’s open to ruthless action.
This year, Williams have reportedly considered drafting Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli into their car. Sophomore driver Logan Sargeant continues to struggle, with Albon now 31-0 up in qualifying since the start of last year.
The Grove outfit requested special dispensation from the FIA to field the Italian in a practice session with a view to handing him a 2024 race seat. The sport’s governing body have now changed their rules to allow 17-year-old racers like Antonelli access to a superlicence.
It remains to be seen whether Sargeant lasts until the end of the campaign. Elsewhere, one journalist has said that Alpine could try to ‘bin’ Esteban Ocon this summer, having already agreed to part ways with the Frenchman in December.
Will Buxton says Daniel Ricciardo might not last past Austrian Grand Prix
It’s Ricciardo, however, who’s in the spotlight at the Austrian Grand Prix. Speaking to Austrian outlet Kleine Zeitung ahead of the race, Red Bull executive director Helmut Marko made worrying noises about the 34-year-old’s future.
The team’s shareholders ‘have made it known’ that they want to see young talent given the opportunity at RB. As such, he suggested that Liam Lawson will get the seat ‘soon’.
Lawson deputised for Ricciardo at five races last year after the first-choice driver broke his wrist in a Zandvoort crash. If Red Bull don’t give him a seat for 2025, he’s contractually entitled to leave.
Speaking on the Weekend Warm-Up in Spielberg, F1TV journalist Will Buxton suggested that he could be in the car even sooner. It’s possible that Red Bull will push the button before next weekend’s British Grand Prix.
He said: “One driver who, as we understand it, might not be around next year, might not even be around next race [is Daniel Ricciardo]. He’s celebrating his 250th Grand Prix this weekend. Words from Helmut Marko in the week – V-CARB is a junior team. Daniel Ricciardo is not junior anymore.”
Yuki Tsunoda gives one-word answer about 2025 teammate
The reason Ricciardo is on the chopping block is that he’s struggled relative to teammate Yuki Tsunoda this season. Tsunoda leads Ricciardo 8-2 in the qualifying head-to-head, and has also scored 10 more points (19 vs nine).
There have been occasional flashes of brilliance from the eight-time Grand Prix winner. He took a superb fourth place in the Miami GP Sprint, and he also qualified fifth in Canada (RB’s best Saturday showing of the season) before finishing a solid P8.
But for the most part, Ricciardo has not met expectations. And if he loses his RB drive, then that could be it for his F1 career, with ‘no chance’ of a seat at Audi.
Fellow midfield teams are unlikely to go for a driver whose stock is so low when there are so many options on the market. Red Bull offered Ricciardo a lifeline last year but he’s yet to make the most of it.
During Thursday’s press conference in Austria (FIA), Tsunoda was whether he’d prefer ‘youth or experience’ alongside him next year. Clearly aware that this was code for ‘Lawson or Ricciardo’, he simply said ‘both’.
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