**”Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 Future in Jeopardy Despite Christian Horner’s Backing: Could Liam Lawson Take Over in 2025?”**

Daniel Ricciardo "shielded by Christian Horner" – but "facing the possibility of losing his position"

A report on Daniel Ricciardo's future in Formula 1 and his chances of staying with Red Bull Racing.

Daniel Ricciardo's future in Formula 1 remains unclear despite having the support of Red Bull's team principal, Christian Horner.

Seasoned BBC Formula 1 journalist Andrew Benson has reported that Ricciardo remains "at risk" of being replaced by Liam Lawson for the 2025 season.

Nonetheless, Ricciardo's advantage lies in having the support of the head of Red Bull.

Although Ricciardo has demonstrated moments of exceptional performance, like securing fifth place in the qualifying round of the Canadian Grand Prix, he has largely found it challenging to match the performance of his Red Bull teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.

Tsunoda has a 7-2 advantage in qualifying matchups and holds a 14-point lead in the drivers' standings.

Ricciardo found encouragement in Canada, as he addressed strong criticism from 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve by securing a points finish.

It remains uncertain if Ricciardo will continue or if Lawson will be promoted to a full-time driver position in 2025.

Benson noted that Ricciardo has lost 7 out of 9 qualifying sessions to Tsunoda this season and has been marginally slower overall. The issue, according to Benson, is that Red Bull does not consider the Japanese driver to be among the elite.

"Ricciardo's situation has shifted significantly; he was once seen as a candidate to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull's primary team, but now he faces the possibility of losing his spot altogether."

Backup driver Liam Lawson is standing by, ready to step in.

However, Ricciardo is presently under the protection of team principal Christian Horner. It is still uncertain whom Red Bull will select as Tsunoda's teammate for the team now known as RB in 2025.

Since rejoining Formula 1 in mid-2022, Ricciardo's performance has often lacked consistency.

Disregarding his injury, his leading performances have been inconsistent, with his remarkable effort in Mexico City being the only notable highlight from last year.

In 2024, the Miami sprint and the Canadian weekend stand out as the key events.

Benson commented that Ricciardo’s showing for Red Bull during the Canadian Grand Prix—where he impressively qualified in fifth position and secured an eighth-place finish despite incurring a five-second penalty for a false start—was precisely the boost he required following a shaky beginning to the season.

Over the weekend, Jacques Villeneuve, serving as a commentator for Sky television, directed some strong criticism towards Ricciardo. The 1997 world champion questioned Ricciardo's presence in Formula 1, asking, "Why is he still in F1?" Ricciardo did not appreciate these remarks. Regardless of opinions on Villeneuve’s statement, it remains true that Ricciardo has not met Red Bull's performance expectations since his return to Formula 1.

He took over for Nyck de Vries at Alpha Tauri halfway through last season. Unfortunately, he broke his hand during the Dutch Grand Prix, which was just his third race back, causing him to miss five races. Despite his return, in most of the races he participated in, he generally lagged behind his teammate Yuki Tsunoda, with the exception of an impressive showing in Mexico.

“And this pattern has persisted this year, with a few unusual instances like the sprint qualifying events in China and recently in Canada.”

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