Horner WARNS Ricciardo over uncertain F1 future

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has urged Daniel Ricciardo to utilise the 'lifeline' given since his return to F1.

Following a dip in form at McLaren, the Australian was dropped at the end of 2022, but made his comeback with junior team Visa Cash App RB mid-season last year.

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After leaving McLaren, Ricciardo returned to the Red Bull family as third driver for the senior team, intending to take a year away from the grid.

However, he took his chance to make a driving return in F1, but now his seat is once more under threat with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

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Ricciardo made a stuttering start to 2024 as team-mate Yuki Tsunoda outperformed him with some ease.

However, the 35-year-old has returned to form of late, finishing ahead of the Japanese driver in the last three races, including points finishes in Canada and Austria.

Going into the weekend in Spielberg, Red Bull advisor and director of their junior programme Helmut Marko advanced the idea that Liam Lawson, who filled in when Ricciardo injured his hand last season, should take the seat as early as this year's summer break.

Ricciardo has so far risen to the pressure and performed well, something Horner is urging him to continue.

“Daniel knew this was a lifeline for him," he explained. "His test at Silverstone was was outstanding last year, which was what provided the opportunity. Now, [it’s] for him to make use of them,” Horner told the written press at the Red Bull Ring.

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“I’m sure by his own admission, the first part of the season didn’t go as planned. But he started to show signs of the old Daniel, we saw them in Miami, we saw certainly the first half part of the weekend there, we saw it in Montreal."

On Ricciardo's future, Horner admitted he does not have much influence, but encouraged Ricciardo to deal with the pressure as he has so far.

“Obviously that’s for [RB CEO] Peter [Bayer] and Laurent [Mekies] to answer. We’re working closely with him [Ricciardo] but for one there’s always pressure, he knows that better than anyone and particularly in Red Bull, when they’re all Red Bull Racing drivers.

"There’s always pressure regarding any team but Daniel is more than aware of that,” Horner added.

Ricciardo was previously at the Red Bull team from 2014-2018. A return was touted with his seat in the junior team seen as a possible pathway, but the extension of Sergio Perez's contract has taken that possibility off the table.

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