Ricciardo Speaks on Lawson's 2025 F1 Seat: Mixed Feelings

Ricciardo addresses Lawson’s confirmed F1 seat for 2025, hinting at potential challenges for his own career.

Liam Lawson Deserves a Full-Time F1 Drive, Says Daniel Ricciardo Amid Speculation on His Own Future

Daniel Ricciardo has voiced his opinion at Zandvoort following earlier comments by Dr. Helmut Marko, one of his team executives, who confirmed that Lawson would have a seat in 2025, though it remains unclear whether it would be with Red Bull Racing or RB F1. This development could potentially be detrimental to Ricciardo’s career prospects.

Acknowledging the situation, Ricciardo admitted he was open to a call from Red Bull during the break to replace Sergio Perez. “I certainly haven’t ruled it out, but I don’t want to say, ‘Oh no, I thought about it, maybe something would happen, but I wasn’t expecting it or too hopeful.’ I was aware that things might change, but let’s just continue doing what I am doing, and if I get a call, I get a call. That was the mindset.”

“But that’s where I was mentally preparing more than thinking, ‘Oh, it’s not going to happen.’ So, things are pretty much unchanged,” he added.

“I always know that performance is my best ally and if I do what I know I’m capable of, it puts me in a strong position to stay somewhere within the team next year. I just need to focus on that.”

“Speaking of Liam, he had the chance to drive the car last year and did an excellent job, and I think he deserves a spot on the grid. So, if he is guaranteed a spot next year, that’s great because he’s a deserving driver.”

“What this means for me is probably a bit unknown, but if I perform well, then I’m sure they’ll find a place for me somewhere.”

“I can’t just say, ‘hey guys, that’s enough, keep me!’ My performance has improved in the latter part of the season. So it’s definitely better, but I can’t say it’s definitively enough.”

“I know that if I continue to maintain this level of performance over the next races, I could tell myself, ‘this is really for me now’ and I would have proven it over the races. But it’s probably subjective to say it’s enough; I’m not going to make a big deal out of it and claim, ‘I’ve been the best, it should be me.'”

“I just need to keep doing my thing.”