It's not an easy start to the season for Daniel Ricciardo is after three race weekends disappointing he risks having to say goodbye to the official seat in RB already. There are many rumors in the paddock, but beyond those the facts speak for him. The Visa Cash App RB team is sixth in the constructors' standings after the first three races thanks to the 6 points scored in Melbourne by Yuki Tsunoda thanks to P7. A positive result, which however does not erase Daniel's disappointment at not having finished in the points even during the race weekend at home. Especially given the high ambitions professed at the beginning of the season in which Daniel even talked about podiums. At the moment, however, that seems to be the last concern of the team and of the Australian who must also be careful about a possible substitution during the race. According to what reported by New Zealand Herald, in fact Helmut Marko would have given the Miami GP as an ultimatum to Ricciardo. The next two races, Suzuka and China, will therefore be decisive for the future of the Italian-Australian.
Ricciardo in the balance, Red Bull is thinking of a replacement
In the space of a couple of months Daniel Ricciardo went from being called up to Red Bull as a possible replacement for Sergio Perez to being on the verge of being sacked. A situation that continues to repeat itself cyclically at RB. Ricciardo's pace was slower than Tsunoda's in all three of the first races of the season. With a fairly large deficit in Jeddah and Australia. If the situation does not change for the better in the next two race weekends, Red Bull already has a replacement in mind for Daniel: Liam Lawson. Last year the young driver took the place of the injured Ricciardo for a couple of weekends, earning his first world championship points in Singapore. Liam's debut has intrigued not only the former AlphaTauri but also Red Bull, who keeps an eye on what happens in the RB garage.
Interviewed at the end of the weekend in Australia, Ricciardo said he was rather surprised by this lack of performance. “I didn't expect to start the season like this. I understand that not only me, but also some people are wondering why. The important thing is that I stay on the right path, focused on the goal. I feel good behind the wheel, yet the results aren't arriving and I don't understand why."
Understanding this as soon as possible, however, will be necessary to save his future and his last opportunity to continue racing in Formula 1.
