Horner highlights ‘bigger picture’ as Ricciardo F1 future in doubt

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has highlighted there is a “bigger picture” beyond Daniel Ricciardo in the organisation as speculation continues over the Australian's F1 future.

Ricciardo has been heavily linked to be out of the RB seat ahead of next month's United States Grand Prix, with Liam Lawson taking over the drive alongside Yuki Tsunoda.

An emotional Ricciardo acknowledged in Singapore that it could be his last race in F1 after struggling for consistent performances since joining the team midway through last year.

Horner stated Red Bull will use the long break before the race in Austin, Texas, to mull over its options.

“We’ve now got a period of time where we’ll evaluate all of the relevant performances of the drivers,” Horner told media including RacingNews365. 

“It’s a natural break in the season to reflect on that. There’s a bigger picture beyond Daniel. He’s just part of the jigsaw.”

Red Bull 'know Ricciardo well'

Only a matter of weeks ago, Ricciardo was being linked with a promotion to Red Bull in place of a struggling Sergio Perez.

Having traditionally been unopposed to making in-season driver swaps, an early exchange for Lawson will allow Red Bull to make a more measured decision over its line-up for next year.

When asked what 2025 will hold for Ricciardo, Horner did not specifically reply. He simply stated: “We know Daniel very well. 

“We know what he’s capable of, how he drives a car. We have that knowledge.”