Daniel Ricciardo addresses Red Bull snub with ‘not awesome enough’ admission

Daniel Ricciardo, the RB driver, has his sights set on remaining on the grid until 2025.

Overlooked by Red Bull for F1 2025 and beyond, Daniel Ricciardo admits that his season has not been up to the level he wants.

Despite facing difficulties in recent races, Sergio Perez’s spirits were lifted ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix as Red Bull announced his new multi-year contract, securing his position with the team until the conclusion of 2026.

Daniel Ricciardo not surprised by Sergio Perez Red Bull deal

Heading into the F1 2024 campaign, Ricciardo was seen as a major threat to Perez’s position at Red Bull, having returned to the fold last year initially as a reserve driver, before being sent to their junior team mid-season as a replacement for Nyck de Vries.

However, Ricciardo’s lackluster performance in F1 2024, where he only managed to score five points compared to his teammate Yuki Tsunoda’s 19, made it unsurprising for him that Red Bull chose to stick with Perez as Max Verstappen’s teammate.

Although Ricciardo still holds onto his aspiration of rejoining the primary Red Bull team in the future, he acknowledges that his performance this season has been lackluster.

Ricciardo expressed to Sky F1 that Perez’s new Red Bull deal doesn’t come as a surprise to him.

“I believe it doesn’t have much impact on my situation. Of course, my ultimate desire is to return to Red Bull at some stage. However, I am aware that my performance this season hasn’t been outstanding. Except for a remarkable moment in Miami, my performance has been somewhat inconsistent.”

“And you know what? I’ve been in this profession for quite some time now, and I am fully aware that I aspire to achieve greater success.”

“I believe that even after the initial races, my sole focus has been on maximizing my efforts here. By doing so, I can gain the utmost control over my future.”

“Admittedly, I may not have been remarkable thus far, but I am genuinely content to be here and reunited with the Red Bull family.”

“We will continue to move ahead confidently, and I believe that the current circumstances do not necessarily imply that it will never occur. However, only time will tell.”

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Now, Ricciardo shifts his attention towards securing his position at RB for F1 2025. His chances appear promising as CEO Peter Bayer has affirmed the team’s satisfaction with the partnership of Ricciardo and Tsunoda.

He stated that he believed they were extremely pleased with both of their drivers.

To be honest, we don’t have time to dwell on hypothetical scenarios and future possibilities. Our team is equipped with a formidable lineup, including an exceptional reserve driver in Liam Lawson. Additionally, we are thrilled about the remarkable talent emerging from F2 and F3.

Ricciardo is aiming for a better performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, a race he emerged victorious in 2014.

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