Daniel Ricciardo: Red Bull boss Christian Horner reveals advisor Helmut Marko wanted driver dropped after Spanish GP Trending Global News

Christian Horner revealed that Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko wanted Daniel Ricciardo out by RB after June’s Spanish Grand Prix.

After months of speculation, Ricciardo was released by Red Bull’s junior team after last month’s Singapore Grand Prix, with Liam Lawson taking his seat for the final six rounds of the 2024 season.

At the time of his removal, Ricciardo had scored 10 fewer points than his RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who most expected the Australian to perform better.

“I think it was a lack of consistency,” Red Bull team principal Horner said. F1 Nation Podcast,

“I mean they started the season rough, then Miami was a weekend of two halves, Friday and Saturday morning were fantastic, and it looked as if the old Daniel, defending against the Ferrari, had the car. Were getting out, but then Saturday afternoon and Sunday were disastrous.

“Even around Barcelona, ​​Helmut wanted to throw him out of the car, there was already a lot of pressure on him.”

The move appears to be the final act of Ricciardo’s F1 career as a driver, with the 35-year-old claiming eight wins in 257 grands prix appearances over 14 seasons.

Villeneuve feud ‘provoked’ Ricciardo

Ricciardo produced his best result of the season at the Canadian Grand Prix, which was “encouraged” by the criticism. sky sports Guest pundit Jacques Villeneuve.

The 1997 world champion questioned whether Ricciardo deserved his place on the grid, before he responded by qualifying fifth in Montreal and finishing eighth in the race.

Horner said, “By the time we got to Montreal, it was actually dear old Jacques Villeneuve who had given him a good hard time.”

“And it definitely got him excited, because the way he drove the car that weekend, he took it by the neck and put in a very strong race weekend.

“So I said [to Ricciardo] Call Jacques during every Grand Prix for the rest of the year, because everything he said definitely helped.”

However, Ricciardo was unable to maintain that form as he finished 15th in Spain. He scored points in Austria and Belgium before the summer break but then finished outside the top 10 in his final four races with the team.

Despite Ricciardo’s inconsistency, there was speculation that he could be given a surprise promotion to Red Bull to replace the struggling Sergio Pérez, but Horner decided to remain with the Mexican.

“I tried my best to give him as much time as possible in the car for deliveries, otherwise he would have been out of the car after Barcelona,” Horner said.

“All drivers have pressure to deliver, but the reason Daniel was in that car was to put himself back in a position so Checo could eventually be there to pick up the pieces. [Perez] Not delivered.

“And the problem was that they both had problems with form at different times. Checo started the season very well, very strongly and Daniel was struggling, and then when Checo lost form Daniel Got a bit of form but it was never enough to say, ‘Okay we should change both drivers’.”

There are only six races left in Formula 1 2024 and the season resumes with the United States Grand Prix in Austin from 18-20 October, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month subscription – no contract, cancel anytime