Ricciardo responds to Lawson replacement rumours

Daniel Ricciardo has responded to claims Liam Lawson may replace him next year after a comment from Helmut Marko.

The Australian star is yet to sign a deal for 2025, with Red Bull still deliberating over their Visa Cash App Racing Bulls line-up.

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On top of this, Red Bull chief advisor Helmut Marko has suggested that the sister team should be for 'junior drivers', with 35-year-old Ricciardo providing somewhat of a dilemma for the team.

Ricciardo has been largely outperformed by team-mate Yuki Tsunoda in 2024, although recent flashes of his old brilliance have provided him with a real case to be retained for 2025.

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24-year-old Tsunoda has already been given a new contract, while the struggling Sergio Perez also has a contract with Red Bull that lasts until the end of 2025.

On top of this, Red Bull have a number of junior drivers waiting in the wings for their chance to impress, with Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar the biggest names believing they deserve a full-time role in F1.

Now, heading into the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, Ricciardo has been speaking to GPFans about the potential of a promotion to the Red Bull hot seat, as well as his overall perspective on his future in the sport.

"Look I didn't rule [a Red Bull promotion] out for sure," the Australian said.

"I don't want to say. 'Oh, no, I never thought that', I thought maybe something could happen but I also didn't expect it or kind of get my hopes up. I was aware, maybe something changes, but let's just do what I'm doing and if I get a call, I get a call so that was that.

"Obviously, I didn't get a call but also that's, that was probably where l'd mentally kind of prepared myself more than oh, this is it now, this is gonna happen so, pretty unchanged."

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Ricciardo was then quizzed on Marko's comments that Lawson will certainly be in one of the four available Red Bull seats next season, suggesting it will only spur on his performances.

"I still know that performance is my best friend, you know, and that's if I do what I know I can do and capable of then I think it puts me in a very good position to obviously stay somewhere in the family for next year so I've just got to focus on that," Ricciardo continued.

"I think look, speaking on Liam, obviously l've got to see him drive, you know the car last year and I do think he did a great job, I do think he is worthy of a seat on the grid.

"In a way I'm happy for him like if he is guaranteed a seat next year, then I think that's good because he is a deserving driver.

"So then what that means for me, as I said probably a little bit unknown but if I perform then I’m sure they’ll find a spot for me somewhere."

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