F1 News: Daniel Ricciardo Replacement Rumors Addressed - 'Will Look At This In The Future'

Helmut Marko dismissed rumors of Daniel Ricciardo’s imminent replacement.

May 2, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; RB driver Daniel Ricciardo (3) takes part in a NFL / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has publicly refuted rumors about Daniel Ricciardo’s imminent replacement. Marko claimed that while no changes are planned for Imola, the team might consider options in the future.

During a recent interview with Speed Week, Helmut Marko, advisor to the Red Bull Racing team, addressed circulating rumors regarding Daniel Ricciardo's position within the team. While Ricciardo's performance has seen highs and lows, Marko made it clear that any decision regarding a potential replacement is not on the current agenda.

Ricciardo recently showcased impressive skills during the Miami sprint race by clinching a fourth-place finish. Marko praised Ricciardo's exceptional execution, especially in the technically challenging Sector 3. However, Ricciardo's subsequent performance in qualifying and the race left much to be desired. Marko commented:

"Daniel Ricciardo also delivered a remarkable performance in the sprint. Fourth place was a sensation and he set the time in Sector 3. This sector consists mainly of slow curves. If you drive exactly there, you will gain an incredible amount of time. And if you make a mistake, it's doubly punishing because of the slow speed."

[Translated by Google]

Despite Ricciardo's promising moments, a slip during qualifying relegated him to an early exit in Q1, affecting his race confidence and speed.

"That happened to Yuki Tsunoda, and three hours later the Ricciardo made a mistake where he achieved his fourth place. This meant he was out of the window in qualifying and was eliminated in Q1. But that wasn't all, because Ricciardo never got up to speed in the race either. Yuki set consistently fast times, while Ricciardo lacked the speed and confidence that was still evident in the sprint."

Regarding the rumors of Ricciardo being replaced by junior driver Liam Lawson, Marko outright dismissed them as unfounded. He noted the presence of Lawson's manager at the races might be fueling such speculation, but firmly stated that no changes were contemplated for the upcoming Imola race.

"The rumors that Ricciardo will be replaced by Liam Lawson at Imola are nonsense. Liam's manager from New Zealand was there, apparently he has certain dreams and they are made known through some media - including from New Zealand. Nothing at all is planned in Imola. But of course we will look at this in the future."

Moreover, Marko touched upon upcoming updates to the RB cars, planned independently of any team rivalry or individual driver performance.

"An upgrade is planned at Imola, but not because McLaren was so good now. Of course it would be nice if you could make new parts within a week. But that's not the case, the update has been planned for a long time. The fact that we didn't have a race there last year doesn't make a big difference, because it's the same for everyone and the route hasn't changed since then."