Sergio Perez warned situation is “critical”, Daniel Ricciardo's “confidence” increases pressure at F1 United States Grand Prix
Ricciardo returned from inꦜjury for AlphaTauri, Red Bull’s sister team, at this weekend’s F1 United States Grand ꦓPrix.
His come🧸back, and his obvious hope to earn a call-up to Red Bull, is an additional layer of pressure on Max Verstappen’s teammate Perez whose 2024 seat is far from certain amid a run of to𝄹rrid form.
“He has a contract,” Martin Brundle sai♔d on Sky. “Perez and Red Bull want exactly the same thing - for him to refind his form and, if he can’t beat Max, at least deliver some solid second-places and second place in the championship.
“Red Bull can’t takཧe a passenger into 2024 if he’s not on form. I can’t imagine Sergio would want to drive it, either.
“Thes🅰e next few races are critical for his head. And for 🐟Red Bull to be satisfied that he’s not lost his way, and he can do this.”
Jenson Button was asked if he thinks Ricciar🥀do will replace Perez at Red Bull,and replied: “A year ago, I ღwould have said no.
“Because of the way that he left Red Bull. They probably weren’t too happy with the way that it happened. His accountant was v✅ery happy with what’s happened in the past few years!
“He’s a rea♑l racer and wants to be fighting at the front.
“He didn’t feel the atmosphere was right for him⛦, alongside Max. Now he does, sud꧃denly!
“I think there is a possibility, yes.
“In terms of confidence, he has so much now. He’s proven that he’s quick against🔯 his teammate. That’s a big step to getting into the Red Bull seat.
“Also, if Checo isn’t close enough to Max when they’re i𓂃n a car that doesn’t have the advantag🧸es that they do now, they need someone that can pull in those big points. That is Ricciardo.”
Danica Patrick added: “How exciting for Daniel, to know that there’s a possible pathway back into the Re🅘d Bull, if Sergio doesn’t perform.
“That’s a carrot out there. It’s always goꦡod to have a🎃 second team so you can have these scenarios in place.”
Ricciardo drove for Tor൲o Rosso an✱d Red Bull but left in 2019 to go to Renault, then on to McLaren, where he was axed from a full-time seat a year ago.
Patrick was asღked if the popular Aussie will regret his decision to leave Red Bull, and she said: “Hindsight is always 20-20. You make the best decisions that you can at the time.
“Sometimes a change is what a driv🉐er needs. New perspective, new💮 motivation.”
Ja🏅mes was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
