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Helmut Marko breaks silence on 'nonsense' rumors of Liam Lawson replacing Daniel Ricciardo at RB

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Armaan Agarwal | Last updated 5/11/24

Daniel Ricciardo had a difficult start to the 2024 season at RB. The Australian driver fell behind teammate Yuki Tsunoda in the first four races. Although, the Honey Badger had shown signs of improvement at the Miami GP, it was rumored that Liam Lawson could replace Ricciardo. Now, Red Bull Motorsport Consultant Dr. Helmut Marko has put an end to such speculation.

Marko made it clear that rumors about Daniel Ricciardo being replaced by Lawson were complete ‘nonsense.’ The 80-year-old claimed that Liam Lawson and his manager might have certain dreams which are often expressed through the media. However, Helmut Marko affirmed that there were no plans for a driver switch at the Emilia Romagna GP.

The rumors that Ricciardo will be replaced by Liam Lawson at Imola are nonsense. Liam's manager from New Zealand was there, apparently he has certain dreams and they are made known through some media - including from New Zealand. Nothing at all is planned in Imola. Helmut Marko told Speedweek

Nevertheless, the Red Bull advisor left the door open for any future possibilities for Lawson, claiming that the Austrian giant would consider its options for the future. Previously, Liam Lawson stated that he was ready to leave the Red Bull family for an available seat in F1.

But of course we will look at this in the future. Helmut Marko asserted

Helmut Marko gives mixed reaction over Daniel Ricciardo’s rollercoaster Miami GP weekend

Daniel Ricciardo’s Miami GP weekend was full of ups and downs. The Australian driver impressed the paddock when he qualified and finished the sprint race in P4, bringing some valuable points for RB. However, the Honey Badger lost momentum and failed to even make it to Q2 in Qualifying for the main race.

Helmut Marko initially praised Ricciardo’s ‘sensational’ performance in the sprint race. Although, the Austrian was quick to point out that only three hours later Daniel Ricciardo made a major mistake. Moreover, Marko highlighted that the Australian driver failed to get up to speed in the Grand Prix on Sunday.

Daniel also delivered a remarkable performance in the sprint. Fourth place was a sensation and he set the time in Sector 3... Three hours later, Ricciardo made a mistake [during qualifying] where he achieved his fourth place... But that wasn't all, because Ricciardo never got up to speed in the race either. Helmut Marko stated

Certainly, Daniel Ricciardo would be hoping to deliver more results like the Miami GP sprint race. The 34-year-old needs to prove his worth to RB this season to safeguard his F1 career. However, it remains to be seen if Ricciardo can win over the confidence of the Red Bull family in the coming races.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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