Additionally, Helmut Marko has asserted that the purpose of Racing Bulls is to serve as a junior team to Red Bull, further weakening Ricciardo’s position, with reserve driver Liam Lawson waiting in the wings.
Despite his poor performances early on in the season, Ricciardo has entered the summer break on a ‘high’ after claiming points at the Belgian Grand Prix.
The 35-year-old still believes he still has a lot to offer in F1, taking inspiration from the longevity of the careers of Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
"They have proven you can still do it at an older age,” he said to RacingNews365.
“At least the big results have been big enough where people then say, 'Oh, he can still put a good lap together', or, 'He can put a very, very good lap together'.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is, fortunately, the stopwatch can still be a very good one, and for whatever reason, the consistency hasn't been there, so I've got to sort that part out.
"But what I'm happy about is I've still got it, and it's just up to me to show it more often.
"But I think the it factor, when people question that, at least more than once, I've been able to say, 'Okay, I can do it'. I've just got to sort my s*** out."