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RB driver Daniel Ricciardo continues to remain on the hot seat as the team has yet to announce a contract extension for the Aussie driver. The team has already confirmed Yuki Tsunoda's extension, leaving one spot up for grabs next season.
Ricciardo's 2024 campaign has been underwhelming except for a few standout performances. He has lacked the consistency shown by his younger Japanese teammate, who currently holds the upper hand in head-to-head comparisons, both in qualifying and races.
In the first 12 rounds of the season, Tsunoda has outqualified his veteran teammate in the nine rounds and outscored him in seven races. In the Drivers' Standings, Tsunoda occupies 11th place with 20 points, one spot ahead of Ricciardo with 11.
Many talented drivers in the Red Bull junior program are waiting for an opportunity at RB. Let's take a look at three drivers who could replace Daniel Ricciardo, who might lose his F1 seat or be reshuffled within the sister teams.
Top 3 drivers who can replace Daniel Ricciardo at F1
#3 Ayumu Iwasa
The RB team could potentially field a full Japanese driver lineup for 2025, bringing in Ayumu Iwasa alongside Yuki Tsunoda. After finishing fourth in the 2023 F2 season, Iwasa continues to remain part of the Red Bull Junior driver program and currently competes in the Super Formula series.
Earlier this season, the 22-year-old replaced Daniel Ricciardo in the FP1 session during the Japanese GP weekend. He continues to remain in the fray for an F1 seat.
#2 Isack Hadjar
The 19-year-old Red Bull junior driver has caught the attention of team boss Christian Horner with his recent performances at Silverstone, which propelled him to the top of the F2 Driver's Standings.
Hadjar has positioned himself as a strong contender for the second seat at RB, as Horner has explicitly mentioned that he could replace Daniel Ricciardo next season.
"So, again, he’s [Hadjar] making a strong case for himself next year, which is why we’re not in any rush to finalize seats in the sister team," the Red Bull team boss was quoted by SI.com
"There's always a chance," Horner added about Hadjar replacing Ricciardo.
#1 Liam Lawson
The 22-year-old Kiwi driver was promised an F1 ride for the upcoming season and remains in pole position to replace any driver at Red Bull and its sister team. Liam Lawson is coming off a second-place finish in the 2023 Super Formula series and scored two points in five appearances, subbing for Daniel Ricciardo last season.
Lawson recently participated in a private test driving the RB20 at Silverstone; however, reports suggest his performances were underwhelming. This could potentially redirect his trajectory from joining Red Bull to replacing Ricciardo at RB.
