F1 News: Insider Questions Daniel Ricciardo Seat - 'RB's Purpose Is To Bring On Younger Talent'

Saajan Jogia | Jul 23, 2024

5th placed qualifier Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Visa Cash App RB speaks to the media after qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 08, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec. / Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images

Noting that the primary aim of Red Bull's sister team is to bring and develop younger talent, Sky Sports F1 reporter and former F1 driver Anthony Davidson explained that Ricciardo appears out of place at VCARB (RB) with an uncertain future.

Ricciardo joined Red Bull's junior team midway through the 2023 season, hoping that his performance would place him on the seat alongside Max Verstappen. However, being consistently outperformed by his teammate Yuki Tsunoda in most Grands Prix and struggling to finish within the points suggests that not only is a Red Bull seat unlikely, but his own VCARB seat may also be in jeopardy.

Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko recently disclosed that the shareholders of VCARB are committed to returning the team to its foundational purpose of nurturing young drivers. Given this shift, Davidson suggests that 35-year-old Ricciardo, who entered the sport in 2011, appears somewhat out of place in this renewed focus.

The Sky Pundit explained that the main purpose of an experienced driver like Ricciardo being onboarded to VCARB last year was to mentor Tsunoda. Now, with the Japanese driver leading the points game within the team, Ricciardo's role suddenly becomes obsolete, which could lead to Red Bull taking a decision during the summer break next month. He said, as quoted by PlanetF1:

“I think the comments from Helmut are genuine as well.

“That is the purpose of RB, the junior team to Red Bull, to be nurturing young talent and I think Daniel actually had a very good position in the team when Yuki was young, but he’s not an inexperienced driver anymore.

“And Daniel was there to help Yuki and the team I feel, to help guide them and increase performance in the team. But now that the performance isn’t really there for him, I think he’s on a bit of shaky ground and it’s true that the team’s purpose is to bring on younger talent.”

With 13 races completed in the 2024 season, Ricciardo sits 13th in the Drivers' Standings with 11 points. In contrast, Tsunoda, positioned 12th, has secured double the points, matching Haas's Nico Hulkenberg, who holds P11.