A fairytale return to Red Bull could be back on the cards for Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo now that Sergio Perez is reportedly set to be fired.
Perez is reportedly at risk of losing his seat at F1’s top team if he fails to improve his performances.
The 34-year-old, who recently signed a two-year extension to remain with Red Bull until 2026, has fallen to fifth in the F1 driver standings after failing to reach the podium in six consecutive races.
In the last five races, Perez has scored 15 points compared to his teammate Max Verstappen’s 101.
“Obviously Sergio has been through a difficult time,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Sky Sports on Friday.
‘His first five races were very competitive. The last five have been nothing, and we want to see the Sergio of the first five back.
‘He knows it, he’s aware of it, he’s been working hard in the simulation this week, working hard to understand where things just aren’t going his way.
“But what we’ve seen consistently from him is this resilience. We hope to see that very soon.”
Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo could earn a lifeline with Red Bull for next season
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez is out of contention and the Spaniard could be ruled out for Ricciardo next season
Amid growing concerns over Perez’s performance, Auto Motor und Sport reported that the Mexican driver could lose his seat if he fails to show improvement, with Ricciardo the leading candidate to replace him.
Asked by the German publication whether Perez was at risk of being replaced, Red Bull Racing chief advisor Helmut Marko replied: “We will know more during the summer break.”
According to Planet F1, both Perez and Ricciardo have performance clauses in their contracts that allow for a seat change if necessary.
Asked if Red Bull had offered Perez a contract extension too soon, Horner replied: “That’s a brutally difficult question.”
‘It made perfect sense to sign Checo at that time, but this is a business where there is pressure to deliver.
‘We thought the contract would help. I think it’s something Checo is working very hard on and he knows that this is a sport in which you don’t have to hide.
‘Particularly with Max Verstappen as a teammate.
“He knows he’s up against the best and we need him up there supporting Max because there are two McLarens, two Ferraris, two Mercedes and we desperately need two Red Bulls.”
Meanwhile, Ricciardo has been linked with a possible move to Williams amid continued speculation over his future.
Williams has struggled with on-track performance for almost a decade and has not won a race since the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix.
However, the team has progressed since being sold to Dorilton Capital in 2020.
Ricciardo enjoyed his most successful years with Red Bull, pictured celebrating in Monaco
F1 champion Max Verstappen’s place at Red Bull is secure, but Red Bull team principal Christian Horner cannot guarantee Sergio Perez a place beyond this season.
Williams have re-signed Alex Albon on a multi-year deal that will run until at least the end of 2026, but teammate Logan Sargeant is expected to be out of the team at the end of the year.
Williams team principal James Vowles has expressed interest in signing Carlos Sainz, who will lose his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton next season, but is frustrated by Sainz’s reluctance to sign a contract.
Speaking to F1TV, respected F1 journalist Will Buxton said the situation has opened a door for Ricciardo: “His whole future is at stake right now.”
Ricciardo, who previously drove for Red Bull from 2014 to 2018, has had a mixed start to his 2024 campaign, sitting 13th in the standings with 11 points.
However, he has recently shown signs of improvement, scoring points in Canada and Austria.
Perez, who finished in FP2 at Silverstone on Friday, will get another chance to prove his worth at this weekend’s British Grand Prix, the lights of which go out at midnight AEST on Sunday.
Read more Daniel Ricciardo hints he will return to Formula One racing next year after being described as “sad and lost” at the Australian Grand Prix >
