As Formula One entered its summer break, the Red Bull camp was anything but quiet. The spotlight shifted to internal discussions between Dr. Helmut Marko and Christian Horner regarding future driver lineups. Dr. Marko has been vocal, claiming Daniel Ricciardo‘s continued presence in the team is now futile.
Dr. Marko did not hold back, stating, ‘Racing Bulls is a junior team. So, it is logical that the shareholders would like to see Liam Lawson in the cockpit.’ He expressed disappointment in Ricciardo’s performance, asserting that Ricciardo should be two or three tenths faster than teammate Yuki Tsunoda. However, things have not panned out as team boss Horner anticipated.
In a candid interview, Marko reinforced his stance by saying, ‘The goal was that Ricciardo would be considered for Red Bull Racing with exceptional performances. That seat now belongs to Sergio Perez, so that plan is no longer valid. We will have to put a young driver in there soon. That would be Liam Lawson.’ This statement underscores the power struggle within Red Bull, especially following the death of the energy drink company’s founder.
Last season highlighted the rift between Marko and Horner. Marko admitted they had not agreed on the recruitment of Nyck de Vries, a Formula E champion. Horner had brought Ricciardo into the fold as a reserve driver after the Australian’s early release from McLaren. Marko’s intention was clear: Ricciardo was a backup for Perez in case of underperformance.
Yet, Marko persisted, handing the seat to de Vries. He justified this decision by saying, ‘Yuki is young and doesn’t have this experience and background, so [Nyck] should lead the team.’ However, just ten races into the season, de Vries was out, and Ricciardo took his place. Ricciardo’s performance in the Silverstone test drive, where he delivered a lap time that could have placed him on the front row, accelerated this change.
The internal discord continued with strategic changes in the Red Bull sister team. Aerodynamic functions were moved to the UK base, and the team was rebranded as Racing Bulls. Despite these changes, Marko maintained, ‘AlphaTauri will have two new leaders in Laurent Mekies and Peter Bayer [the outgoing FIA general secretary] from 2024. There will be new sponsors and also a new name. The orientation is clear: based on Red Bull Racing, as far as the regulations allow. Do-it-yourself constructions are the wrong way.’
Ricciardo responded to Marko’s remarks. Reflecting on the team’s new direction, he said, ‘Their intentions, and the way they go about it, has made people kind of stand up and say,
Alright, yeah, this isn’t a junior team anymore, we’re making big boy decisions and we’re taking risks, and we’re setting of targets, and high targets, and ones that we realistically think that we can obtain.
Ricciardo’s performance has seen a resurgence in recent weeks, outscoring teammate Tsunoda since Canada. However, the future remains uncertain. The drama continues as questions loom about potential changes if Red Bull’s rivals close the gap. Dr. Marko’s advocacy for academy drivers ensures the debate over Ricciardo’s position is unlikely to fade.
With Red Bull’s future driver lineup in flux, the conflict between Marko and Horner underscores the tension within the team. Whether Ricciardo can secure his place amidst the evolving dynamics remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the drama at Red Bull is far from over.
