RB’s Daniel Ricciardo.
Daniel Ricciardo had been hoping to challenge for a Red Bull drive next season, but the announcement of Sergio Perez staying has put paid to that for at least the next two years.
Perez penned a new deal that will keep him at the team until 2026, and with Max Verstappen contracted until 2028, Ricciardo’s public aim of retiring from Formula 1 as a Red Bull driver now appears further away.
Daniel Ricciardo hopes of returning to Red Bull now over?
In addition to Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda was also vying for a Red Bull cockpit, while Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz was available and interested in the opportunity.
After departing the team in 2018, Ricciardo sought a path to return to the team. He had brief periods with Renault and McLaren before rejoining the Red Bull family last year through AlphaTauri, now known as RB.
Craig Slater, a reporter for Sky Sports, raised doubts about whether this decision marks the end of Ricciardo’s aspirations to rejoin the Red Bull main team. Additionally, Slater also questioned the prospects of the other contenders hoping to become Verstappen’s teammate.
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Slater on Sky Sports News shared his thoughts on the strained relationship between Jos Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Senior, highlighting that it may affect the potential involvement of other individuals in the matter. This tension between them originated during their time as teammates at Toro Rosso.
“Does this also spell the end for Daniel Ricciardo’s hopes of driving at the very top level again?
At 34 years old, he might have hoped to secure the Red Bull seat in the upcoming year or perhaps the year after that. However, with a two-year deal on the table, his chances seem slim.
Yuki Tsunoda, who has performed exceptionally well this year, seems to have lost the advantage of the two-year aspect.
Therefore, I believe several people might be considering, ‘Perhaps I have missed my opportunity.’
Is it less likely now for Alex Albon, who holds a Thai license, to return to the Red Bull organization, considering that Perez has signed a multi-year contract?
However, I believe Max will be content with this decision. I don’t think he particularly cares about who his teammate is, but it’s always better to have a familiar driver beside you rather than someone who is unknown and unpredictable.
For Ricciardo himself, he exclusively told PlanetF1.com recently that a Red Bull seat was his main driver behind heading back to the team’s stable prior to the announcement of Perez staying, but if a seat was not forthcoming, he would still have targets to look ahead to in the sport.
He stated, “In my opinion, the ultimate objective remains the same – I mean, who wouldn’t aspire to become a World Champion?”
“I believe that as I navigate through this current phase, I have come to realize that in 2022, there were certain races where I finished and had a moment of contemplation, thinking to myself, ‘Perhaps I will never return to this track again.’ It made me ponder if that particular race would be my last.”
Returning, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have a second chance, though it does not alter the situation.
Even though I am grateful, my desire to become a World Champion remains strong. I yearn to taste victory once more and experience the exhilarating highs that come with it, as that is the true essence of why we engage in this pursuit.
“Yeah, you know what? Achieving fourth place with this team felt like a victory to me. If my journey with this team were to conclude and all I managed to secure were several fourth place finishes, would I still find contentment? Absolutely, I would.”
“Does it completely fulfill my ultimate expectations? No, it doesn’t. However, I could still leave with a sense of pride. Although, even as I say that, I can’t help but feel… maybe it’s just my subconscious thoughts about retirement! I never thought it would come so soon, so while I may say I’ll be fine, deep down, I believe there are still more things awaiting me.”
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