Jun 7, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; RB driver driver Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) in the pit lane during the practice session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

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Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko has officially ruled out Daniel Ricciardo’s return to Red Bull after suggesting that he didn’t fulfill the criteria to become a Red Bull Racing driver. The statement comes as Ricciardo struggles to score points for VCARB (RB) this season.

Ricciardo found himself without an F1 seat for almost a year after he departed from McLaren in 2022. It wasn’t until mid-last year, following Red Bull’s decision to part ways with Nyck de Vries, that he secured a spot with the junior team VCARB alongside Yuki Tsunoda.

The Australian driver aimed for a Red Bull return alongside Max Verstappen, having raced for the team between 2014 and 2018. He also expressed his desire to race for Red Bull again before retiring from the sport. However, owing to his wrist injuries and the limited races last season, it became difficult to judge his performance for a promotion to the Milton Keynes outfit.

At the start of the 2024 season, the 35-year-old driver was considered a strong contender to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull Racing. However, a string of lackluster performances, often trailing behind his teammate Tsunoda, has raised significant doubts about his chances of securing a Red Bull seat and even his future with VCARB.

Consequently, the Chrisitan Horner-led team went ahead with its plan of extending Perez’s contract in June, hinting at the end of Ricciardo’s aspirations to return to Red Bull. Speaking to ESPN, as reported by Motorsportweek.com, Marko confirmed that Ricciardo has lost the chance to race for the leading team. He said:

“Daniel was put in the car and if he would have been significantly faster than Yuki there was an idea to bring him back to Red Bull Racing.

“But he also had this up and down. So, so far, he didn’t fulfil the criteria to be a Red Bull Racing driver.”

While Yuki Tsunoda has secured a contract extension with VCARB for 2025, Ricciardo’s future remains uncertain as he has yet to finalize a deal for the upcoming season. Marko’s recent comments about steering the junior team back to its original mission of nurturing young talent—specifically mentioning Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson—suggest that Ricciardo’s place in the team may be in jeopardy. Marko added:

“It was a clear statement from the shareholders that Racing Bulls is a junior team and this route will be how the future will look.

“It’s a tough time for someone like Liam, especially as he jumped into the car under very, very difficult circumstances and did very well.

“We rate him high and he will get his chance. Just wait. September [when Red Bull’s option on Lawson expires], you will have an answer.”