Daniel Ricciardo Still Fits In At ‘Junior’ F1 Team

RB CEO Peter Bayer insists Daniel Ricciardo still fits into the “big picture” at the Faenza-based ‘junior’ team.

F1 team consultant Dr Helmut Marko has been hinting for months now that, at 35, the Australian driver no longer fits the profile.

“The shareholders have made it known that it is a junior team and we have to act accordingly,” Marko said recently.

Ricciardo, however, insisted just before the start of the August break that he actually does not see RB as Red Bull’s ‘junior team’.

“I think that in their (Red Bull’s) intentions and the way they go about it has made people kind of stand up and say ‘Alright, this isn’t a junior team anymore’,” Ricciardo said at Spa.

Many expected team owners Red Bull to decide at a key post-Belgian GP meeting early last week to oust Ricciardo and replace him with rookie Liam Lawson.

But Ricciardo survived that meeting, and will keep his seat for now at least until the end of the season.

Bayer admits he can see Marko’s point of view. “Helmut argues that from his position in a logical way,” said the RB team CEO, who like Ricciardo is Australian.

“He (Marko) is responsible for the junior team and therefore it is logical that he always has an important say when it comes to the drivers,” Bayer told motorsport-total.com. “He has the authority and the knowledge and he is very focused on the subject of juniors.”

However, Bayer added: “I see a broader picture for the team. In the long term, it’s not so bad for Yuki (Tsunoda) to have an experienced teammate. It’s the famous big picture issue.

“Yes, we have to develop young drivers. But you can of course also explain it in the way that Yuki is not quite ready yet. He learns a lot from Daniel when it comes to technical feedback.

“He has also learned a lot from Daniel in terms of controlling his emotions,” Bayer explained. “He learns how to structure and plan a weekend. So, in short, he’s learning. We are still polishing the rough diamond that is Yuki with Daniel’s help.

“That is why Daniel’s place in the team is justified.”

Bayer also says that after a more difficult start to the 2024 season for Ricciardo, he is now putting in more consistent performances. “That is point two,” Bayer continued.

“We also have to do well as a team. That is what the shareholders said after last year – that it cannot be the case that we have two teams and one becomes champion and the other one is last.”