Fresh concerns over Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 future emerge after VCARB drops ‘poor’ review

Amid reports that Red Bull will announce its full 2025 line-up after Singapore, David Croft worries that a “poor” VCARB weekend in Baku will not help Daniel Ricciardo.

Having returned to Red Bull last season as a reserve driver before being promoted to race driver with VCARB, Ricciardo had been hoping to regain his seat at Red Bull Racing for a “dream” end to Formula 1.

David Croft: Red Bull or nothing for Daniel Ricciardo

But as the weeks and months passed, that seemed less and less likely, with the Australian failing to beat his VCARB teammate Yuki Tsunoda, let alone dominate him.

Red Bull therefore stuck with Perez, even extending his contract by two years until the 2025/26 season, which once again prompted the 35-year-old Ricciardo to contemplate ending his F1 career.

The eight-time Grand Prix winner is competing with Liam Lawson for the second spot in the VCARB, with Helmut Marko making it clear that the VCARB’s mission is to train the next generation of Red Bull drivers.

Ricciardo had hoped to produce results that would clinch victory but he finished just 13th in what some are calling his last audition in Baku, in what proved to be a disappointing weekend for the team.

“It’s the ultimate hero or zero for him – either he replaces Sergio Perez or he doesn’t drive in Formula 1,” F1 pundit Croft told Wide World of Sports. “You can’t have a bigger hero or zero than that.

“I don’t think it helped that RB (VCARB) had such a bad weekend – it wasn’t a great race for them.

“I really feel sorry for Daniel. He is an incredible talent who has excited and delighted us all for many years in Formula 1.

“But he made the wrong decision. He should never have left Red Bull.

“Red Bull want to promote Liam Lawson. They don’t want to leave him on the sidelines any longer than necessary, and Tsunoda is doing well enough to get another chance.”

While Ricciardo could take Sergio Perez’s place at Red Bull, with Marko admitting the team had hoped the Australian would be a candidate, Ricciardo’s results have not been enough to suggest he could do the job better.

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“Sergio is the weak link,” Croft continued. “In terms of current form, is Danny Ric riding well enough to replace Sergio Perez? It’s hard to say.

“He does not beat Yuki Tsunoda consistently, and Red Bull does not think Yuki Tsunoda is good enough to take the second place in the main team.

“So logically, how do you promote Danny Rick to that spot? Unless you’re doing it for reasons other than your on-track form?”

As such, it is expected that Red Bull will once again select Perez as Max Verstappen’s teammate for the 2025 season, with VCARB placing Lawson in the car alongside Tsunoda.

According to Croft’s colleague, Sky pundit Ted Kravitz, it “will be” Liam Lawson who will take the second spot in the VCARB, while formula1uno reports that “an option has already been taken” for the Kiwi in F1 2025.

There were even suggestions that Lawson could replace Ricciardo before the end of the season.

Red Bull Motorsport advisor Helmut Marko said the team’s decision would be announced after Singapore but before Austin.

“The second (VCARB) driver will be announced after Singapore. Between Singapore and Austin. Not during the weekend in Texas, but before,” Marko was quoted as saying by the Italian edition of Motorsport.com.

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