Helmut Marko, the Red Bull team adviser has taken the time to talk about what the current VCARB (AlphaTauri) driver, Daniel Ricciardo has to do to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull. The honey badger desperately wants to get into the Austrian team’s setup from 2025 onwards.
Daniel Ricciardo since making it back on the grid, has made it known on several occasions that he wants to drive for the Christian Horner-led team again. However, the path toward that seat is full of roadblocks as there are quite a few other candidates in the running as well.
Helmut Marko being one of the main pillars of the Red Bull outfit, understands how important the second seat alongside Max Verstappen really is. Thus, ahead of the 2024 campaign, he has revealed what Ricciardo will have to do to secure the 2025 seat. In a conversation with Motorsport-Total.com, he said,
Ricciardo has to show that he has Tsunoda clearly under control. Then he might be a candidate.
The 80-year-old veteran of the sport has made it quite clear that Ricciardo will be expected by Red Bull to have the upper hand on his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, comfortably this year. Otherwise, he will very quickly fall out of the running for the coveted 2025 seat.
Daniel Ricciardo will have several eyes on him in 2024
While Helmut Marko has made it known what Daniel Ricciardo has to do this year, the latter will have several eyes on him from the Bahrain GP onwards for several reasons. Firstly, people along with VCARB and Red Bull will be fascinated to see how he would perform alongside the unpredictable Tsunoda during a full season.
Secondly, the 34-year-old’s 2024 exploits will be directly compared to Red Bull’s Mexican driver, Sergio Perez. If Ricciardo would be able to keep the upper hand on the inconsistent Perez in a VCARB machinery, then it will put him in great stead to secure the 2025 seat.
However, the upcoming campaign could also prove to be the last dance for Daniel Ricciardo in F1. If he is not able to perform as per expectaions, then a scenario could arise where Ricciardo is seen making an exit form the sport for good at the end of the 2024 campaign.
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