Red Bull has not ruled out the possibility of reserve driver Liam Lawson replacing Daniel Ricciardo, despite denials of immediate plans. Speculation grows as Ricciardo’s performance continues to fluctuate within the team, but now Helmut Marko has confirmed that while he won’t be taking Ricciardo’s seat at the upcoming race, instead they “will look at this in the future”.
As the Formula 1 circus rolled into Miami, much of the paddock chatter centered on Daniel Ricciardo’s turbulent season. The Australian driver, known for his wide smile and early career performance, finds himself in increasingly precarious waters at Red Bull’s sister team, RB. Despite a solid performance in the Miami sprint race, questions linger about his future with the team after that weekend’s Grand Prix wasn’t so successful.
Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s ever-candid advisor, weighed in on the swirling rumors in his column for Speedweek.
“Ricciardo delivered a remarkable performance. Fourth place was a sensation and he took the time in the third sector, which consists mainly of slow corners. If you execute this section perfectly you will gain an incredibla stark contrast, with the Australian struggling to replicate his earlier success, eventually bowing out early in the competition—a reflection of a broader struggle to maintain peak form across the season so far.
