Formula 1: Daniel Ricciardo ultimatum ensures a lineup change

After Daniel Ricciardo left Red Bull six years ago, his stints at Renault and McLaren simply did not work out the way he would have wanted them to.

When Red Bull team principal Christian Horner gave the Australian driver a lifeline by offering him the role of third driver to open the 2023 season, speculation that he could eventually replace Sergio Perez ensued.

Over a year later, having spent about a full season with Red Bull’s sister team since replacing Nyck de Vries, Ricciardo has given his future an “all or nothing” ultimatum.

Ricciardo wants just one thing, and that is a second chance at Red Bull. The 35-year-old has his sights set on replacing Perez, who has been severely underperforming for much of the 2024 season.

With the Mexican driver now set to keep his seat until at least the end of the season, his performance will surely be closely monitored over the course of the final 10 races.

Helmut Marko is looking to make RB solely a junior team for Red Bull moving forward, so Ricciardo will likely not retain his seat there for 2025 under any circumstances.

Ricciardo will reportedly only accept the Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen next year. Otherwise, he has come to terms with leaving Formula 1 entirely.

Daniel Ricciardo vs. Liam Lawson

To the surprise of many, Liam Lawson was left off of the 2024 grid after a strong showing while filling in for the injured Ricciardo late last season. The Kiwi driver is said to be the Aussie's main competitor when it comes to potentially replacing Perez.

Both drivers plan to partake in a filming day for Red Bull this week at Imola. Ricciardo seemingly has the upper hand, given the fact that he has raced at the circuit on several occasions and is significantly more experienced than Lawson.

Another key point to note is that Dr. Marko had previously mentioned that Lawson will get another chance at Red Bull, whether that be with the main team or the junior team.

Red Bull management are surely aware of the clause in Lawson’s contract which allows him to begin negotiations with other teams if he is not offered a seat by Red Bull before September.

Ideally, it makes more sense to have Ricciardo join Verstappen, as the duo still have a good relationship, and it would give Lawson time to develop at RB alongside Yuki Tsunoda.

Nevertheless, the lap times could be the deciding factor. Red Bull have a very talented junior team, and if Lawson is chosen to drive alongside the three-time reigning world champion in 2025, Isack Hadjar could even be promoted to RB next season to replace Ricciardo.

All of the pressure is now on Ricciardo to keep his career in Formula 1 alive beyond 2024, as he looks poised to leave RB one way or another.