Daniel Ricciardo is a driver that is under threat of losing his seat come the end of the season, and it has been suggested by one journalist that he could lose it before Silverstone.
The Aussie made his return to Formula 1 in 2023 with Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri (now Visa Cash App RB), but has struggled to find the form that has led him to eight career race victories.
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Ricciardo had a difficult start to the season with the newly-branded RB team, and has been mostly outperformed by team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, with the Japanese driver picking up regular points finishes.
Tsunoda has been tied down by the team for next season, while speculation has grown that Ricciardo could be set for another exit from the sport amid recent performances.
Will Buxton claims Ricciardo could be axed by Silverstone
Mid-season driver changes at Red Bull have been a common sight over the years; the most recent one being Ricciardo’s return as he replaced the sacked Nyck de Vries after just ten races.
Even Max Verstappen’s initial move to the main team was via a driver change during the season, as he replaced Daniil Kvyat after only four races in 2016.
Now, it is Ricciardo who is back under threat of losing his seat, with recent comments from Red Bull chief Helmut Marko hinting that Liam Lawson – who temporarily replaced Ricciardo last season after his wrist injury – would get his chance in the RB seat.
And speaking on the Weekend Warm Up show on the F1 YouTube channel, journalist Will Buxton claimed that the Aussie could even lose his spot in the team come the end of the weekend in Austria.
Buxton said: “One driver who, as we understand it, might not be around next year, might not even be around next race [is Daniel Ricciardo]. He’s celebrating his 250th grand prix this weekend. Words from Helmut Marko in the week – V-CARB is a junior team. Daniel Ricciardo is not junior anymore.”
RB are yet to confirm their driver lineup for next season, but with Buxton’s comments, Ricciardo could be set for an exit from the team sooner than expected.
GPFans has contacted VCARB for comment.
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