Daniel Ricciardo, flashing his trademark grin in the RB garage at Monaco 2024, sparked curiosity about his future in the Formula 1 2025 season as available seats are rapidly decreasing. Both Ricciardo and his teammate Yuki Tsunoda were in the running for Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat until the latter signed a two-year extension.
RB CEO Peter Bayer has expressed his contentment with the current lineup, showing strong confidence in both Ricciardo and Tsunoda ahead of the Grand Prix in Imola. Bayer made it clear that the team isn’t caught up in debates about future driver options, emphasizing their focus on growth and potential.
Formerly known as AlphaTauri and Toro Rosso, Team RB’s indecision about its 2025 lineup places them among the final teams yet to confirm their drivers. The hunt for drivers included speculation about Ricciardo and Tsunoda potentially filling Sergio Perez’s seat, a narrative put to rest after Perez’s contract renewal.
RB boss Laurent Mekies highlighted that the team is in no rush to finalize contracts. Mekies stated, ‘As much as we acknowledge the fact that it seems to be a big topic out there, from our perspectives it’s far too early for us to think about that.’ Echoing this sentiment, Bayer remarked, ‘I think we’re very happy with both of our drivers. Honestly, we’re not wasting time discussing ‘ifs’ and ‘whens.’ We have a very strong lineup. We have a great reserve driver. We have great talent coming through F2, F3.’
Focusing on improving performance rather than future speculations, Bayer and Mekies consider the Ricciardo-Tsunoda pairing a stroke of ‘huge luck.’ Mekies praised Ricciardo’s contributions, saying, ‘Daniel specifically, in the context of the projects, where the team needs to go and helping identify the gaps, it hugely helps to have somebody like Daniel that won eight races, has been at a few teams and knows where the board can be and where the board needs to go.’
Though Ricciardo has faced challenges with the 2024 car, Mekies commended his unwavering dedication and non-emotional approach towards performance improvements, fitting qualities for RB’s ambitions.
On the other hand, Yuki Tsunoda has shown significant growth, making a ‘big step forward’ according to Bayer. Reflecting on Tsunoda’s development, Bayer appreciated his improved physical and mental readiness. ‘One example I mentioned the other day: I think he simply understood that every time he would be swearing on the radio, that will cost him a tenth. So he’s got himself under control. He’s extremely professional in the work that he’s been putting into the feedback with engineers,’ Bayer noted.
As Team RB looks to enhance its competitive edge, the future of its driver lineup remains a topic of speculation. With the team leadership showing faith in both Ricciardo and Tsunoda, the coming season promises to be an exciting journey for F1 fans.
Source: Planetf1
