Daniel Ricciardo locked into four-race showdown with Sergio Pérez to save their careers after Red Bull gives the green light to Kiwi rising star Aussie had hoped to replace Pérez before season's end Kiwi driver has been guaranteed a start in 2025 Could mean Ricciardo and Pérez are fighting over one vacant spot By Josh Alston For Daily Mail Australia Published: 01:38 EDT, 23 August 2024 | Updated: 01:38 EDT, 23 August 2024 e-mail View comments Daniel Ricciardo has just one chance left to save his career at Red Bull after the F1 giants guaranteed a young Kiwi one of the few drives left on offer for 2025. New Zealander Liam Lawson is set to join the 2025 Formula 1 grid, according to Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko, piling enormous pressure on Ricciardo and Sergio Pérez to save their careers. And the timing couldn't be worse for the Aussie, who had been holding onto hope of replacing Pérez - who is in a career freefall - only for the Mexican to be spared the axe for the rest of the 2024 season.
As Formula 1 resumes its season, the 35-year-old Ricciardo has accepted that returning to Red Bull's top driver lineup alongside Max Verstappen might not happen. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner confirmed over the summer break that Pérez would remain Verstappen's teammate for the Dutch Grand Prix, despite a series of poor performances dropping him to seventh in the standings. Speculation has surrounded Lawson's contract, suggesting it includes a clause allowing.
