Ricciardo’s Red Bull Return Hangs in Balance as Perez Faces Pressure: A Look into Red Bull’s Potential Driver Shuffle

Daniel Ricciardo is poised to replace Sergio Perez if Red Bull decides to make a driver switch

Red Bull is considering potential driver swaps, with Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson as the main options

Daniel Ricciardo is rumored to be the backup option for Red Bull in case they decide to substitute the underperforming Sergio Perez.

Ricciardo's aspiration to rejoin Red Bull, a desire he confessed upon coming back from his short break from F1, significantly depends on the team's willingness to wait for Perez.

Red Bull has announced that the driver rosters for both their main team and their affiliate team, RB, will remain the same for the latter half of the season.

This explanation helped reduce the intense scrutiny on Perez, whose lackluster performance had sparked rumors of a midseason dismissal.

Should Perez continue to fall short of the performance expectations set by his team, despite receiving further time and assistance, then RB might consider either Ricciardo or reserve driver Liam Lawson as potential replacements.

"Ricciardo is expected to be the chosen one," Lawrence Barretto of F1.com suggested.

McLaren parted ways with Ricciardo at the conclusion of 2022, yet his remarkable performance during a test with Red Bull led to his comeback in the middle of the 2023 season, this time with AlphaTauri.

As the year began, his ambition was to secure a permanent spot next to Max Verstappen in the Red Bull team, yet Perez found himself celebrating a fresh contract extension instead.

Ever since the agreement was finalized, Perez's performance has seen a decline. He'll keep his spot as the F1 season resumes after the summer break at Zandvoort this coming weekend, yet the question lingers: for how much longer will this be the case?

Is Time Running Out for Liam Lawson with Red Bull?

Rising star Lawson made his mark in F1 the previous year, stepping in for Ricciardo who was sidelined due to injury, at AlphaTauri.

His initial performances in Formula 1 Grand Prix sparked recommendations for him to keep his racing position into the current year, a suggestion that Red Bull chose not to follow.

However, Red Bull faces a time limit to provide Lawson with a permanent racing position, a deadline they are expected to exceed, thereby risking losing him for good.

"According to Barretto, Red Bull is obligated to provide Lawson with a spot on one of their teams by September 2025, or he will have the liberty to join another team."

"Red Bull isn't keen on letting him go."

Their intention to retain Lawson places further strain on Perez.

Should his slump in performance continue and Ricciardo takes over, Lawson is perfectly positioned to step into the RB role.

However, Lawson is closely trailing Ricciardo, whose career prospects remain unclear.

The experienced Australian racer remains without a contract for 2025, unlike his teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who is already secured.

Before the summer hiatus, Ricciardo candidly expressed that the upcoming grand prix could be his last if Red Bull decides to let him go.

The risk persists unless he sufficiently proves himself worthy of securing a renewed agreement.

"Barretto mentioned that if his performance declines, Lawson is the one likely to take his place for the upcoming season."

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