Crimson Bull group principal Christian Horner admits the choice to interchange Daniel Ricciardo with Liam Lawson is because of uncertainty over Sergio Perez’s declare to his seat in 2025.
Ricciardo made his last look for RB in Singapore, and Lawson will race for the group for the remaining six grands prix of the F1 season. That transfer is available in tandem with Perez having struggled for type for almost all of this 12 months, and Horner stated the occupant of the Crimson Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen may change in 2025 regardless of Perez having a contract in place.
“In fact in an ideal world that’s what we’d have completed [allow Ricciardo to finish the season], however from a broader perspective we’d like solutions for the larger image when it comes to drivers,” Horner advised the F1 Nation podcast. “And with six races remaining it’s the proper alternative to line Liam up alongside Yuki [Tsunoda], to see how he performs over the remaining six grands prix.
“This goes past VCARB, it encompasses Crimson Bull Racing. Clearly now we have a contract with Sergio for subsequent 12 months, however you’ve all the time acquired to have an eye fixed out when it comes to what comes subsequent. Is that going to be Liam? Or do we have to look outdoors the pool? Or will one of many different juniors step up within the fullness of time, whether or not it’s Isack Hadjar or Arvid Lindblad?”
When it was put to Horner that he has been extra ruthless with Ricciardo than he has been with Perez, the group principal stated Helmut Marko was eager to interchange the Australian far earlier within the season.
“I’ve completed my easiest to purchase him as a lot time within the automobile to permit him to ship, in any other case he would have been out of the automobile after Barcelona,” he stated.
“All of the drivers are below strain to ship, however the cause that Daniel was in that automobile was to get himself again right into a place to in the end be there to select up the items if Checo didn’t ship. And the issue was they each had points with type at various instances, Checo began the season very effectively, very strongly, and Daniel was struggling. After which as Checo misplaced type, Daniel discovered a little bit of type, however it was by no means compelling sufficient to say ‘OK we must always swap the 2 drivers’.”
Horner stated his ideally suited state of affairs will probably be that Perez improves in order that he can retain his seat at Crimson Bull in 2025, however he even hinted that Ricciardo may nonetheless be referred to as upon in future.
“Clearly [ideally] Checo finds his type and rediscovers the form he was in firstly of the 12 months and nothing modifications,” Horner stated. “However as we all know, on this enterprise two weeks is long-term.
“We’ve made it very clear that we would like [Ricciardo] to stay in an ambassadorial capability with the group, and naturally one by no means actually is aware of. I imply, if Liam doesn’t get the job completed, if Checo doesn’t get the job completed, we all know what Daniel’s functionality is.
“However I feel for him, he is aware of, on the age that he’s at, he’s had an incredible profession. So many recollections. Essentially the most disgusting factor ever was ingesting champagne out of his sweaty boot! However he made it his personal and he acquired some unbelievable folks to drink the champagne from his sweaty shoe.”
