F1 News: Daniel Ricciardo To Red Bull - "We Will See A Switch This Year" Says Pundit

The speculation surrounding Daniel Ricciardo's potential return to Red Bull highlights the uncertain future of Sergio Perez.

Recent speculation has thrown the future of Red Bull's second seat into the spotlight, with Sergio Perez's position under threat and Daniel Ricciardo poised for a potential return to the squad. According to Dutch racers Jeroen Bleekemolen and Robin Frijns, Ricciardo is the favoured candidate to take over.

Key Takeaways:

• Sergio Perez's future at Red Bull is uncertain following a series of underwhelming performances, placing Daniel Ricciardo as the potential replacement.
• Dutch racers believe Ricciardo's return to Red Bull is likely, with a possible switch happening as early as this summer if Perez fails to meet expectations.
• Opinions within the F1 community are divided, with some questioning Ricciardo's superiority over Perez in terms of pace and talent.

The dynamics within Red Bull Racing are heating up as the 2024 season approaches, with the team's second seat becoming a focal point of intrigue and speculation. Sergio Perez's tenure with the team is increasingly seen as precarious following a disappointing 2023 season, where he struggled to qualify for Q3 in five consecutive races, despite having one of the fastest cars on the grid. He did, however, return a 1-2 for Red Bull - a first for the team. 

While Perez has been given the opportunity to redeem himself in the upcoming season, the buzz within the racing community, particularly among Dutch racers Jeroen Bleekemolen and Robin Frijns, suggests that Daniel Ricciardo is being lined up for a dramatic return to Red Bull. Frijns, in particular, has been vocal about Perez's precarious position, suggesting that a mid-season switch to the Australian could be on the cards if Perez's performance doesn't improve.

“I don’t expect Pérez to survive until the end of this year,” Frijns says. “Red Bull ‘would love to have Daniel Ricciardo back.

“We will see a switch in the summer.”

Perez will be going into this season with plenty of pressure on his shoulders, knowing that his Milton Keynes team will be plotting a backup in case his season goes a similar way. Of course, I find it difficult to detract from a racer who finished the driver's championship right behind his teammate. But with ever-growing competition from the likes of Ferrari, McLaren, Ferrari, and Aston Martin, Red Bull will need a driver at the top of his game mentally to be able to defend for Max Verstappen.