RB could sign ‘amazing talent’ to replace Daniel Ricciardo after watching him at Suzuka

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Daniel Ricciardo is at risk of losing his RB seat, if not during the summer break then at the end of the season. Ricciardo has struggled to find consistency in his first full year back in the sport.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner offered him the chance to revive his career at AlphaTauri after six months or so on the sidelines. Ricciardo had returned to the team in a reserve capacity, having lost his McLaren seat to Oscar Piastri.

Nyck de Vries’ poor performances opened the door, but now Ricciardo’s own difficulties could bring a young driver into play. Liam Lawson is the standout candidate, having impressively deputised for the Australian at five races last year when he broke his wrist.

But it’s not just as simple as swapping out Ricciardo for Lawson. The Red Bull driver picture has become highly complex in the past week.

That’s because it’s emerged that Sergio Perez could lose his drive this summer. Ricciardo isn’t in contention to replace him and must instead focus on fighting for his spot at RB.

It’s now feasible that either Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda end up partnering Max Verstappen and the junior team fields a whole new line-up for 2025. Red Bull’s shareholders want the team to prioritise young talent again, and they could get their wish.

Ayumu Iwasa still a contender for RB seat

At the Japanese Grand Prix in April, RB gave Ayumu Iwasa the chance to participate in FP1 in front of his home fans. He stepped into Ricciardo’s cockpit, briefly forming an all-Japanese partnership with Tsunoda.

There’s been little mention of Iwasa in F1 circles since. But according to Motorsport Magazin, he remains a contender to replace Ricciardo.

Iwasa has made a strong start to the 2024 Super Formula season, scoring back-to-back runner-up finishes at the last two events. He now ranks second in the championship, although there are still six out of nine rounds remaining.

Meanwhile, another Red Bull junior in Isack Hadjar is leading the Formula 2 standings. It’s possible that he goes up against Iwasa for an RB seat, having taken part in the opening practice session for Red Bull at Silverstone.

How Daniel Ricciardo camp feel about F1 future

Iwasa won the French F4 Championship and the F3 Asia Rookie Cup on his ascent up the single-seater ladder. He spent two years in F2 with DAMS, racking up five wins, three poles and 12 podiums.

Despite finishing in the top five in the championship in both seasons, he didn’t get a shot in F1 and instead returned to his homeland to compete in Super Formula. Labelled an ‘amazing talent’ by former teammate Roy Nissany (F2), he illustrates the calibre of the competition Ricciardo faces.

Former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde has urged him to retire at the end of the season. At 35, he may no longer see a route back to the top.

Ricciardo’s representatives are still relaxed about his situation. They feel that Perez’s struggles will reduce the pressure on his shoulders, and point to his lasting value to the team from a marketing perspective.