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Red Bull Racing's plan to replace Sergio Perez is no secret in the world of Formula 1. According to reports, Daniel Ricciardo or Liam Lawson have the best chance of winning the seat at Imola.
Ever since the massive crash at Monaco, Perez has been under immense pressure to deliver good results. However, the Mexican racer has had a string of average runs in Canada, Spain, Austria, Great Britain, and Hungary. This has prompted the Austrian team's management to explore potential replacements for Perez at their sister team, Visa Cash App RB (VCARB) F1.
As reported by PlanetF1.com, Red Bull is targeting one of Ricciardo or Lawson to fill the vacant seat. The reigning constructor champion is planning to conduct a shootout between the two VCARB drivers at Imola during Red Bull's filming day.
Although there is no confirmation from Red Bull Racing on this issue, rumors suggest that the team might either demote or drop Perez. Adding to the pressure is the fact that the Mexican driver has managed to score just 17 points since Monaco, while his teammate has grabbed 104 points in the same duration.
Daniel Ricciardo is already an eight-time race winner in Formula 1 and has proven his worth at Red Bull Racing. Meanwhile, Liam Lawson also had a decent run in the 2023 F1 season as a super-sub to Ricciardo, the 'Honey Badger' in five races (Netherlands, Italy, Singapore, Japan, and Qatar).
"I’d love to return" - Daniel Ricciardo on his possible return to Red Bull Racing
Daniel Ricciardo had a poor start to the 2024 Formula 1 season, but in the last few GPs, he showed encouraging improvements. Now, the former RBR driver is rumored to be in contention for a return to the Austrian outfit to replace Sergio Perez.
The Perth-based racer recently met with Red Bull Racing's Christian Horner and Helmut Marko. Although there have been no official comments regarding the discussion, rumors suggest it could be related to Ricciardo's return to the Milton- Keynes-based team.
During a pre-race media interaction at Spa, the eight-time F1 race winner spoke about his relationship with Horner and Marko.
"It’s good to see them [Horner and Marko] after a good result. Helmut will let you know when the result is not good. I feel happy being back in that and under that microscope, in that environment with that pressure. It’s fun,” the 35-year-old Ricciardo said
A Formula 1 fan posted a video of the above interview via an X post:
“Obviously going up, as I said last year, that’s like my goal. I’d love to return,” he further added while speaking to FOX Sports.
Fans will be interested in seeing how the situation develops in the coming weeks.
