Red Bull to axe two junior drivers amid Daniel Ricciardo, Liam Lawson decisions

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Rodin Cars CEO David Dicker believes Red Bull will now axe Carlin Formula 2 pair Zane Maloney and Enzo Fittipaldi after deciding Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson’s futures.

Red Bull helped secure Maloney and Fittipaldi drives with the Rodin Carlin team in F2 for the 2023 season. But the pair currently sit 10th and seventh in the standings with a round left of their season. Formula 2 joins Formula 1 at the campaign-ending Abu Dhabi GP in November.

Fittipaldi only joined the Red Bull junior driver programme last November after catching the eye in F2 for Charouz. Despite being with one of the lesser-heralded teams, the grandson of two-time F1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi showed strong qualifying pace and defensive skill.

Dicker believes Red Bull will now axe Maloney and Fittipaldi already

Maloney also only joined the Red Bull junior driver programme last December after finishing second in the 2022 Formula 3 standings. Alpine junior Victor Martins beat the Barbados boy to the title by just five points. It further secured Maloney a reserve driver role with Red Bull.

Yet after only a year of backing, Dicker believes Red Bull will axe Maloney and Fittipaldi from their junior programme. The Rodin CEO understands that Red Bull have decided to stop any support for the 20 and 22 year olds after locking up Ricciardo and Lawson’s futures recently.

“The support for most of the guys in these junior teams is next to zero, from the information that I have,” Dicker has told the Mirror.

“They’re not going to be supported by Red Bull next year, as far as I know. Let’s face it, [Red Bull] already have more good drivers than seats, so what’s the point of trying?”

Lawson and Ricciardo ensure there is no room at Red Bull or AlphaTauri

Red Bull have newly-crowned three-time F1 champion Max Verstappen under contract until the end of 2028. Sergio Perez is also under contract for the Milton Keynes team through the 2024 season. While Ricciardo has also now agreed to a deal to race for AlphaTauri next year.

Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda will fill the AlphaTauri seats in 2024 with Lawson returning to his reserve driver role. Like in 2023, Lawson will offer Red Bull and AlphaTauri a reserve driver in case of an emergency. He stepped in for Ricciardo over the past five rounds due to an injury.

AlphaTauri gave Lawson – who finished third for the 2022 F2 title with Carlin – his Formula 1 debut after Ricciardo broke his hand at the Dutch GP. The Kiwi also scored his maiden points at the Singapore GP with P9. But his results did not see Red Bull hand him the seat full-time.