In 2023,
Sergio Perez did not perform entirely optimally. The Mexican was wrecked by his teammate
Max Verstappen, and he also suffered the most damage to his car during the
Formula 1 season apart from
Logan Sargeant. There were many rumours that another driver would drive alongside Verstappen in Checo's place.
Daniel Ricciardo was one of the drivers mentioned as a replacement for the six-time race winner, but Australian Formula One legend Alan Jones thinks it may be too late for that move.
Ricciardo had to settle for the role of reserve driver at
Red Bull Racing at the start of the 2023 season. In July, it was announced that
Nyck de Vries was not allowed to continue at AlphaTauri, and that the Australian could take over the Dutchman's seat. At Zandvoort, the 'Honey Badger' was injured, forcing him to miss several races. He eventually finished seventeenth in the drivers' championship.
Jones thinks Ricciardo has lost chance of Red Bull seat
Despite driving relatively little, Ricciardo did impress in several race weekends. There was therefore talk of a transfer to Red Bull in 2024, but this did not materialise. For 2025, the battle for the seat next to Verstappen is still open, but Jones thinks it is too late, he told the Daily Mail: "I honestly believe Daniel's probably lost the chance of getting back to Red Bull."
Jones continued:
"I think at one stage, Daniel was too preoccupied with the bulls**t going on outside the cockpit as opposed to what was going on inside the cockpit. think he even realised that he was probably being... not led astray, but I think he was letting his mind wander a little bit on other things other than Formula 1, and he needs to get back to the core of what he's good at, and that's driving a Formula 1 car."
He'll be in Perez's seat 5 races into the year
I tend to agree.
Didn't he recently say that he didn't want to be the entertainer anymore?
A task he happily took upon himself, always smiling, playing cowboy etc.
But, out of the 7 races he did, he only scored once, albeit a nice 6pts, but he wasn't overly impressive throughout.
Checo's inconsistency could work in his favor again if Checo has the same problems next year, but otherwise it will be all up to Danny to prove himself.
Like i had been saying over and over before as well.
I'd rather see Yuki or Liam next to Max, because they're still young and have a longer career ahead (maybe).
But i keep thinking that Yuki will move away with Honda, so i tend to keep him out of the equation, even though he is personally my favorite as Checo's successor.
Otherwise, i think Liam was just as good as Danny, and has the age advantage over Danny, plus he is probably a cheaper driver as well.
And i honestly don't think that Max and Danny will become super close either, i think it's more about Danny's eagerness to be liked by everyone.
So i don't think Danny specifically is a preference when it comes to that.
If anything, if it was up to Max he might want to keep Checo on for another year, despite not being close buddies with him either.
Unless he really messes up next year of course.
I don't think that if Max had to choose out of the 3 other drivers right now, that he would pick Danny right away because of their supposed friendship, but i could be totally wrong of course.
But yeah, 2024 will be a make or break year for Danny, and i fear the worst for him, unless he does blow our minds.
Because i don't think he is the "rightful heir" to Checo's seat just yet.
Let's see how he does along side Yuki in 2024.
If he gets out qualified and out scored by Yuki, then there is no reason to put him in the RB for 2025.
Also, I do agree with Jones. By 2025, Danny will be 36 years old and I can see better options of a younger driver that would be more suitable as Max's team mate.
Exactly, 2024 will be a very crucial year for Danny, and yeah i also agree about the age.
Even if Danny does perform magically, he's still technically nearing the end of his F1 career, as i don't expect him to pull an Alonso/Lewis, remaining in top shape into his 40s.
I think Yuki and Liam are more deserving, they scored points, they're still young.
Even though i think Yuki is moving away with Honda, so Liam would be the next in line.
Danny might luck his way into the seat in 2025 if Checo does leave, and Yuki going to wherever Honda goes (i keep forgetting the details, i forget if Honda moves at the end of 2024 or 2025).
But i'd rather see Checo stay until the new regulations.
If Yuki moves away at the end of 2024, put Danny and Liam next to each other in 2025 at Racing Nike Bulls (hah or whatever they're called then), the Kiwi and the Aussie, and then Liam moving up to RB hopefully for 2026, and Danny either doing another year at RNB or moving away to a different team.
And who knows, maybe the musical chairs dance at the end of 2024 will mix everything up.
They should just put him at Red Bull now and have Lawson at Alpha Tauri. Ricciardo is a good stop gap he's at the end of his career and happy to be there. Plus he's the only driver to ever match Verstappen in the same car and can't do any worse than Perez at the worst.
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