Ricciardo Feels Proud after Austrian GP, Builds Momentum for 2025 Season
Daniel Ricciardo exited the Austrian Grand Prix paddock feeling proud and sensing he’s building momentum in Formula 1. The Australian driver’s impressive showing at the Red Bull Ring, where he secured a ninth-place finish, came as a welcome response to rumors that Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson could be in line to replace him next season.
Ricciardo, who had previously admitted he was in the dark over his team’s race prospects, capitalized on Max Verstappen and Lando Norris’ late clash to double his points return. He was delighted to have finished ahead of quicker rivals, crediting his team’s strategic choices for gaining vital track position.
“I don’t remember all the race. I need to probably watch it again to rate how happy I am, but I’m definitely more happy than sad,” Ricciardo recalled. “We had the two Hard tyres, we could pit a little bit earlier and capitalise on track position. So they pitted me at the right time and then I just had to watch the mirrors and try not to mess up, basically.”
Ricciardo is striving to remain with Red Bull Racing (RB) in 2025 and has now outraced his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda over the past three weekends. He believes his campaign is gathering impetus amid a sluggish start, having secured three consecutive weekends of maximizing his car’s potential.
“I feel like that’s three weeks in a row now where I’ve got most out of it,” he added. “Still searching for a bit more perfection but yeah, three on the bounce. At least I can say I swiped out of the paddock three weekends in a row now on a Sunday, feeling proud. Just got to keep that up.”
Reports suggesting Ricciardo’s drive is in danger came from Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, who claimed that the Austrian brand’s shareholders desire to field a young name. However, Ricciardo, who has been adamant that the comments haven’t impacted his approach, is hoping his uptick in form can convince Marko that his best level remains.
“I’ve known obviously Helmut such a long time, and at the end of the day, he doesn’t care about personality,” he explained. “He goes about is the stopwatch and the classification. He’s a racer, and that’s all he really wants to see from us. That can make him not think great about me to all of a sudden think great about me. I think this weekend’s helped.”
Ricciardo is determined to maintain his current form, aiming to convince Marko that he still has what it takes to be a top performer in Formula 1 today. With his sights set on the summer break, Ricciardo hopes to continue his momentum, saying, “As I said, it’s a little bit more consistent now, so just keep it going and hopefully by the summer break, he’s laying on a beach somewhere saying ‘Ricciardo, he’s still got it’.”
Formula 1 news today indicates that Ricciardo’s impressive performance has boosted his chances of retaining his seat in 2025. As he continues to climb the Formula 1 standings, fans and critics alike will be watching to see if he can maintain his current form and prove his worth to Red Bull Racing. Visit the Formula 1 autocentre for more updates on the latest Formula 1 news and developments.
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