Ricciardo insists he’s ‘not thinking about’ Red Bull seat for 2025 as F1 driver market heats up

Daniel Ricciardo has distanced himself from further speculation over a potential move to Red Bull in 2025, saying “it’s not something I think about” as part of a race-by-race approach to the new F1 campaign.

Ricciardo made a mid-season return to the sport with AlphaTauri – now called RB – last year and went public about his “dream” of one day returning to Red Bull, who have a future seat to confirm with Sergio Perez’s contract due to expire at the end of 2024.

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However, two races into the latest chapter of his career, Ricciardo brushed away any talk of what might be to come as the Australian committed full focus and attention to RB, and helping to drive the team up the grid.

“I don’t buy into any of the stories, if you will,” Ricciardo said when asked about the ongoing links to Red Bull, where he raced from 2014 to 2018 and took seven of his eight race wins to date. “I know what my position is in the team and I know what, let’s say… some potential things that could happen if I do very well.

“But it’s like everything, any team you’re with, if you have a really strong season it could lead to maybe something different or increase your position where you currently are. It’s always our objective to do the best we can. I think whatever happens will happen or can happen.

“My objective is to drive this car as good as I can. Now, getting back into a car, I’m definitely not looking too far ahead. Am I thinking about the Red Bull seat that you speak of? No. I know if I do some really good results maybe then that can present itself potentially.

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“It’s not something I think about because 12 months ago I wasn’t in this position, I didn’t know if I would be back in this position, so I just take it weekend after weekend.”

Now 34 and with almost 250 Grand Prix starts behind him, Ricciardo went on to explain how he has learned through his time in F1 the importance of avoiding rumours in the media and noise around topics such as the driver market.

“There will always be some ‘whatever’ going around,” he continued. “I know my job and what I need to do. It’s through experience as well, the more you get caught up in that stuff that starts taking focus away from my job and that’s driving as fast as possible.

“I know we do a lot of other things during the course of the race weekend but that’s why we’re here ultimately to push the car to the limit and try to make it as good as it can be. This weekend it’s something I look forward to, obviously being here racing at home.”

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With that home race weekend ahead, Ricciardo also moved to play down his low-key start to the 2024 season, having been out-qualified by team mate Yuki Tsunoda in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as RB chase their first points.

“After the first two races it hasn’t been amazing, but it’s not a concern,” he said. “It’s two races out of 24, there’s a load of new people in the team, so it’s very early, but I do definitely want to have a strong weekend and do well.”