Daniel Ricciardo is on good terms with Christian Horner.
He often talks to Horner and Helmut Marko, even though they discuss other things. Last year, Ricciardo came back to Red Bull as a test and reserve driver after stints with Renault and McLaren. He was part of Red Bull’s marketing activities and got an F1 seat sooner than expected due to Nyck de Vries‘ poor performance at AlphaTauri. Now, another promotion might be on the horizon.
Ricciardo admits he still chats frequently with Horner and Marko but not much with other Red Bull staff. “I still speak with Christian and Helmut quite a lot,” he said, noting that most communication goes through them. He focuses more on his current team and engineers now, unlike last year when he was involved in drivers’ meetings and debriefs.
“But seeing Christian and Helmut after a good result feels great,” Ricciardo added. “Helmut will definitely let you know when results aren’t good. But I enjoy being under that kind of pressure; it’s fun.”
Fans might think this close relationship gives Ricciardo an edge over others like Yuki Tsunoda, who revealed he has minimal contact with Red Bull representatives.
Return to Red Bull?
Horner’s goal last year was for Ricciardo to eventually return to Red Bull. The 35-year-old driver knows teaming up again with Max Verstappen isn’t off the table yet.
“I don’t want to say you’re only as good as your last race,” Ricciardo said, “but these races are critical. Coming into Budapest, I told myself these could be very important races in my career.”
Uncertainty about future
Ricciardo dreams of returning to the Austrian racing team but knows his future is uncertain without a seat for 2025 yet. “There are talks about whether I’ll even be here next year,” he said. “So every race is crucial; I just made sure to give my all in these upcoming races.”
What do you think? Will Ricciardo make it back?
