Ricciardo’s F1 future depends on final races as Red Bull decides

Daniel Ricciardo’s future in Formula 1 could be determined as soon as September, as Red Bull and its junior team, VCARB, are poised to make a decision regarding the promising talent of New Zealander Liam Lawson.

Ricciardo has a window of opportunity with two to four races left, starting with the Netherlands Grand Prix on August 25, where he is currently a $21 odd with the top online bookmakers to make the podium and to showcase his skills before Red Bull finalises its driver lineup for 2025.

Red Bulls advisor Helmut Marko has indicated that the team will reach a verdict by the end of the month, giving Ricciardo time to present his case.

“Daniel was put in the car, and if he would have been significantly faster than Yuki, there was an idea to bring him back to Red Bull Racing,” Marko told ESPN before the break.

Despite signing a contract extension this year for two years, Sergio Perez’s position remains uncertain.

A clause in his contract could result in his removal if he fell more than 100 points behind his teammate Max Verstappen by the summer break.

Currently trailing Verstappen by 146 points, Perez has managed to survive the mid-season evaluation.

Since his return to the grid, Ricciardo has been closely watched, facing competition from 22-year-old Liam Lawson, who is eager to secure a seat for the 2025 Formula 1 season.

Despite Ricciardo’s improvements and outperforming his teammate Yuki Tsunoda in key areas since Canada, Marko has hinted that Ricciardo’s performances haven’t yet met the criteria for a full-time return to Red Bull Racing.

Depending on Red Bull’s decision, several scenarios could play out: Perez might keep his seat while Ricciardo steps aside for Lawson; Perez could be swapped out for Ricciardo, Tsunoda, or even Lawson himself; or both Perez and Ricciardo could be replaced, with junior driver Isack Hadjar excelling in Formula 2 and possibly eyeing a Formula 1 seat.

Tsunoda has already secured a contract extension for another season.

While he hasn’t been the focus of promotion talks, his steady performances this year have piqued the interest of the Red Bull leadership.

VCARB CEO Peter Bayer has stressed that Tsunoda’s consistent strong showings could lead to him being considered for a seat at Red Bull.

“What it means is that if Yuki keeps racing on this level consistently, he will be considered for a seat in Red Bull Racing.” Bayer said this to Motorsport.com.

As the crucial moment approaches, everyone will be watching Ricciardo, Perez, and Lawson closely in the races.

With a spot potentially opening up at Kick Sauber (soon to transform into Audi) in 2026, the drivers are under pressure to solidify their positions in Formula 1.

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