Daniel Ricciardo's candle in Formula 1 might be close to being blown out, with possibly just two races left to secure his position.
Red Bull's influential F1 advisor, Dr. Helmut Marko, hasn't been shy about expressing his satisfaction with Yuki Tsunoda's performance, hinting at his secure future within the energy drink giant's racing family.
"Franz Tost and I have always believed in him," he penned in a dedicated column for Speed Week. "His problems were a lack of control, outbursts and a tendency to make mistakes. All of that has gone this season."
Contrastingly, Ricciardo, a seasoned race victor at 34, hasn't received the same accolades after being given a lifeline to rejuvenate his career alongside Tsunoda at Red Bull's junior team, RB.
"No, it's not annoying," Ricciardo commented, addressing the diminished backing from Marko. "Obviously everyone's talking positively when things go well, and they don't talk so positively when they don't. It's just part of it."
Recent reports from the New Zealand Herald have unexpectedly revealed that Marko has indeed informed Ricciardo that his role is firmly secured for only the upcoming races in Japan and China.
Liam Lawson, the Red Bull reserve driver from New Zealand, would therefore be poised to reclaim the race seat for the Miami GP following a commendable performance substituting for an injured Ricciardo the previous year.
Speculation indicates that the original initiative to salvage Ricciardo's career following his McLaren ousting might have been powered by Red Bull's under-fire team principal, Christian Horner.
"He's a big boy," Horner remarked in Melbourne, adding, "he'll pick himself up. I think it's still very early in the year to even be thinking about next year."
Even within RB's Faenza headquarters, Ricciardo continues to garner support, notably from the team's CEO, Peter Bayer.
"Daniel found his pace again after qualifying," Bayer shared with Servus TV before leaving Melbourne. "We believe that from now on we can really rely on him and that he will understand the car more and more."
Bayer acknowledged that the 2024 car seems to better complement Tsunoda's driving style in the cockpit.
"Yuki brakes later and harder," he elucidated. "Therein lies the secret, probably. The balance plays a role there, because if you brake hard, some of the aerodynamic support is lost. So it's up to Daniel to brake harder," Bayer quipped with a smile, concluding, "But that is where the difference lies at the moment."
