After a series of poor performances by Sergio Perez, it seemed like his seat at Red Bull would be in danger. While he has won 2 of the 11 races so far, his teammate has taken the victories for the rest of the 9. Max Verstappen has been an unbeatable driver so far in the season, hence, it can be tough when getting compared to him as his teammate.
When Sergio Perez’s performance had been highlighted, it was hinted that Daniel Ricciardo might replace him. But soon after Helmut Marko released a statement. He made it clear that Sergio’s seat at Red Bull was not at all in danger. While he had been lacking in his qualifications, he was also performing well considering Silverstone.
Perez’s seat is still a target for many drivers. And Daniel Ricciardo’s arrival at Red Bull’s junior team has left people guessing yet again. Daniel Ricciardo recently replaced Nyck De Vries at AlphaTauri. He is set to drive for the team starting from the Hungarian GP. But before his addition to AlphaTauri, it was said that he might be taking Sergio’s place.
Is Daniel Ricciardo preparing to replace Sergio Perez in 2024?
Sergio Perez’s contract comes to an end by the end of the 2024 season. This means Daniel Ricciardo might get promoted to drive alongside Max Verstappen. When Sergio was asked about his seat at Red Bull and how he feels about others wanting his seat, he said,
“From my side, it doesn’t change anything because I drive for Red Bull, there’s not just Daniel out there. It’s Yuki [Tsunoda], it’s more than half of the grid that would like to drive for Red Bull. So it doesn’t change anything.”
🗣️ | 🇭🇺 Checo says Daniel is no different that any other driver wanting his seat
“From my side it doesn’t change anything bc I drive for RB, there’s not just Daniel out there.
It’s Yuki, it’s more than half of the grid would like to drive for RB. So it doesn’t change anything.” pic.twitter.com/Kop42wJaZv
— RBR News 🇳🇱🇲🇽 (@redbulletin) July 20, 2023
He was also asked if he felt confident about his future with Red Bull to which he replied,
“It’s in my hands, correct. That’s why I’m focused. I’m here because I know that I can do it and I’ve done it before.”
Perez mentioned his “bad weekends” in the season where he had not given his best and fallen back. While he was falling behind, he still stands second in the Driver’s Standings. He is confident about his place in Red Bull because even after his consistently poor performance, he has held his position on the Standings.
While Sergio Perez prepares for the Hungarian Grand Prix, he has mentioned that he has been going through his mistakes. He sees Daniel Ricciardo as any other driver who wants to drive for Red Bull and get the better car for the season. As he focuses to make a comeback in front of the grid, he says that his seat at Red Bull is safe.