Christian Horner pours water on Daniel Ricciardo’s dream of driving for Red Bull in 2024

Daniel Ricciardo was promoted to AlphaTauri ahead of the Hungarain GP, which set off a string of rumours that Red Bull is his next step.

Daniel Ricciardo(Left, credits: Speedcafe) and Christian Horner (Right, credits: Formulapedia)

Daniel Ricciardo‘s aspirations of reclaiming a seat at Red Bull have hit the brakes. Christian Horner, the Team Principal, has spoken, and the verdict is that – 2024 is not the year for Ricciardo’s return. Daniel Ricciardo switched from McLaren to Red Bull as their reserve driver this season.

However, mid-season, he found himself in the AlphaTauri seat as he replaced Nyck de Vries. He has made no secret of his desire to return to the team where he achieved seven Grand Prix wins. This, coupled with Sergio Perez’s struggles, laid the groundwork for the rumors about his return to Red Bull in 2024.

Sergio Perez’s challenges alongside his dominant teammate Max Verstappen have fueled rumors that he might lose his Red Bull seat before his contract’s 2024 expiration. The Mexican driver’s struggles, evident from his significant points deficit to Verstappen and missed opportunities in qualifying, have kept the pot stirring about his time at Red Bull ending prematurely.

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Christian Horner shed light on AlphaTauri’s purpose as a breeding ground for Red Bull’s future stars. Just like Ricciardo, many drivers have made the transition from AlphaTauri to Red Bull in the past. “AlphaTauri drivers have been placed there to develop them as potential Red Bull Racing candidates,” he said. Horner added, “Daniel’s very aware of that, and that’s his objective, but that wouldn’t be before 2025.”

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Christian Horner confirms that a decision about Daniel Ricciardo’s future will be made in the next 12 months

Christian Horner and Daniel Ricciardo (Credits: Yahoo Sport)

Horner acknowledged that Ricciardo’s intention in joining AlphaTauri was not for a long-term stay. Rather, he saw it as a strategic move to secure a competitive seat. Horner acknowledges that Ricciardo “ sees it as the quickest route to getting back into a competitive seat, and clearly, his objectives are on a 2025 Red Bull Racing seat when we have a vacancy.”

After a lackluster stint with McLaren, Ricciardo must prove himself to earn a Red Bull seat. The Briton claims, “Daniel has an opportunity between now and the end of the year to demonstrate that he hasn’t lost his form.” He added, “a decision will be made as to whether he remains in that seat for a further 12 months.”

Daniel Ricciardo says he'll have to work on his fitness during the summer break:

"While everyone's sipping Pina Coladas, I'll be in the gym."

"Obviously my race fitness is not what all the other drivers is."

"So when shutdown is on I'm going to use that just to train and, of… pic.twitter.com/FB0XumiqGc
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) August 5, 2023

The Australian driver’s debut at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2023 showcased his potential as he delivered an impressive performance, almost securing points if not for an early-race collision.

Moreover, a strong showing in the Sprint race at Spa further boosted his case for a future Red Bull seat. With the 2025 Red Bull Racing seat in sight, Ricciardo will have a determined mindset to impress during his tenure at AlphaTauri. Horner confirms that Red Bull won’t consider Ricciardo for a race seat until at least 2025.