Ricciardo F1 future talks to 'intensify' with HUGE Marko role

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko's role in the future of Visa Cash App RB star Daniel Ricciardo has been hinted at by team principal Peter Bayer.

Ricciardo is under pressure to secure his spot in Formula 1 beyond the end of this season, following a disappointing start to 2024 in which team-mate Yuki Tsunoda has largely outperformed him.

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The Australian has shown glimpses of his quality on occasion, most recently in Montreal, where he finished eighth.

A disappointing result in Barcelona followed, however, with speculation on his future increasing once again ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix.

Ricciardo had been looking for an eventual return to Red Bull - with whom he raced for between 2014-2018 - but that option no longer appears viable after the defending constructors' champions extended the contract of Sergio Perez.

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Red Bull chief Marko recently fuelled doubts that the eight-time race winner would remain on the grid by suggesting young prospect Liam Lawson could be given a seat after shareholders emphasised RB's role as a junior team to Red Bull.

Ricciardo responded to those comments by vowing to prove himself on track, and now his RB boss has revealed a future at the team has not been completely ruled out, admitting that the Australian continues to play a vital role in the team's development.

Speaking to Sky Sports Germany, Bayer said: "Regarding the junior team. We have a mandate from the owners to train and develop new talents and young drivers and eventually pass them on to Red Bull Racing - strictly speaking, we’re doing that with Yuki [Tsunoda] now.

“We’ve been working intensively with him for three years. He still has moments where he learns a lot from Daniel, whether it’s engineering feedback, emotional behaviour, or how to approach the weekend.

“We’re fulfilling this role, but we also have the owners' expectation that we are successful both sportingly and commercially - we need to bridge that gap.

“Who will be in the car next year, we will see. The discussion is ongoing, but it will certainly intensify in the summer. Helmut has clearly stated his opinion.

“We will take our time with the discussion. Liam is also part of the Red Bull family. I don’t think he will disappear overnight.

“So, it’s not that Ricciardo could be swapped out again this season - talks are ongoing, but they are still at an early stage. We will address it in the summer.”

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