With Yuki Tsunoda confirmed at VCARB for 2025 his teammate's identity is a hot topic for Red Bull's junior team, with talk of Daniel Ricciardo being replaced by Liam Lawson even sooner than then.
Red Bull's long-time driver boss Helmut Marko let it be known, to Austrian news outlet Kleine Zeitung, Marko that the company's "shareholders have made it known that it is a junior team and we have to act accordingly. We have to put a young driver in there soon. That would be Liam Lawson.”
This news went viral and has been a hot topic in the paddock ever since. During the Friday team bosses press conference at Red Bull Riung, Christian Horner and Peter Bayer were inevitably quizzed about the status of the 34-year-old Australian's future. This is in the wake of his highly unimpressive return to F1 with Red Bull's junior team.
Playing second fiddle to Tsunoda has been Ricciardo's plight, still making rookie mistakes, simple lack of pace and inconsistency aptly describe the eight-time Grand Prix winner's form. He makes his 250th F1 start on Sunday at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The 'Save Dan & Sack Checo Plan' has not worked for Red Bull. Yet uncommonly for them, they appear to be dragging their feet on 'mercy killing' Ricciardo's F1 career. Traditionally they have been merciless with underperforming drivers. Ask the likes of Daniil Kvyat, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly and most recently Nyck de Vries.
Red Bull HQ want VCARB to remain their junior team
They were treated indecently, and made redundant far too quickly, compared to the love shown to Ricciardo, until now. Heading to their home race, Marko insists that Red Bull HQ want VCARB to be a junior team to develop drivers for Big Brother. As was the plan since Minardi morphed into Scuderia Toro Rosso back in 2006.
Which is not what Peter Bayer and Laurent Mekies signed up for to double-boss VCARB. They both were bullish about turning 'Junior' into a fully-fledged independent team. That's on ice it seems
In the aftermath of Marko's decree that "we have to put a young driver in there soon", obviously Bayer and Horner faced media questions on the matter.
This is what the Red Bull team principal had to say about the Riccirado situation: "Daniel knew this was a lifeline for him. His test at Silverstone was outstanding last year, which was what provided the opportunity. It's for him to make use of that.
"I'm sure by his own admission, the first part of the season didn't go to plan, but he's started to show signs of the old Daniel. We saw it in Miami. We saw it in the first part of the weekend there. We saw it in Montréal."
Horner: Ricciardo knows there's always pressure regarding any seat
Said Horner of the driver who does not race for him, before venturing: "Obviously that's for Peter and Laurent. They're working closely with Daniel. But in Formula 1, there's always pressure. He knows that better than anyone, and particularly in Red Bull when they're all Red Bull racing drivers, there's always pressure regarding any seat."
"But Daniel is more than aware of that," revealed Horner, who lobbied hard to have Ricciardo return to VCARB and essentially butcher rookie De Vries' long anticipated F1 opportunity, in favour of the veteran who never found the form he enjoyed with the World Champions a decade ago.
Bayer sang from the Horner hymn sheet: "Daniel certainly has helped us tremendously. Looking back last year when he joined the team, he brought a whole new energy and spirit into the team. And he has been extremely helpful in supporting Yuki.
"Yuki has just stated that very recently, actually, that he still keeps learning from Daniel. And it's part of our job, also as a mission from the shareholders, to develop drivers. And that's what we currently do," stated Bayer, who might be reminded that Tsunoda also shed tears when Pierre Gasly departed.
Much like Ricciardo, the Frenchman was also credited for 'teaching' the popular Japanese driver. Tsunoda tends to be emotional, and as a 24-year-old he is always going to learn from more experienced drivers.
Bayer: We're not in a hurry to take a decision for next year's line-up
Bayer continued: "As Christian said, F1 is about performance. We do luckily have a couple of options with the junior programme, but we're also not in a hurry to take a decision for next year's line-up. We've confirmed Yuki, which was very important for us.
"The focus currently, honestly, as you can tell, is on the car and to go into the summer break and have a quiet discussion," suggesting Ricciardo will be driving for them until then at least.
Horner took the ball and said: "Anything regarding drivers is going to be dealt with in-house before we talk to the media about it. They're all Red Bull racing drivers and every Red Bull driver knows that there's always pressure, that there's always scrutiny.
"Daniel is in the seat and it's down to him to make the most of that. And then, it's always, as we see in Formula 1, things are always fluid," added the RBR F1 boss, meaning anything can happen.
Bayer added: "Perhaps just to add on what Christian perfectly summarised, Liam is part of the team, he's our test driver, he's in the simulator. As most of you know, he'll be in the TPC. We do our job to develop young drivers.
"But the decision on the second seat will be taken quietly and we're not in a hurry," reckoned Bayer, which rebukes the Marko suggestion, and wild rumours triggered by all this. that Ricciardo would be out after the Austrian GP - his 250th start in the top flight and a nice number to end it all with.
In the wings, watching on the telly, young Liam Lawson must wonder when he will finally get the nod to show what he can do after his stellar debut for the team, all but assured his future in F1. Meanwhile, he waits as RBR indulge Ricciardo.
(Reporting by Agnes Carlier at Red Bull Ring)
Big Question: Daniel Ricciardo or Liam Lawson for VCARB after the F1 summer break?
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