Ricciardo only wants another year at RB if he proves he ‘earned it’ · RaceFans

RB driver Daniel Ricciardo says he does not want to be given another season in F1 by Red Bull unless he feels he has earned it.

The veteran driver sits 12th in the drivers’ championship on nine points, ten fewer than team mate Yuki Tsunoda, after the first ten rounds of the season.

Tsunoda has already secured a contract extension which will keep at at RB until the end of 2025. But Ricciardo’s future is unclear. The team is also considering Liam Lawson for the second RB seat, according to Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko.

Ricciardo scored his first top 10 finish in a grand prix this year in the last round in Canada. Speaking in today’s FIA press conference ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, Ricciardo said he only has his eyes on remaining with RB.

“Canada obviously helps – as I said, I needed a result like that,” Ricciardo said.

“Obviously I would like to stay. Now that I’m back in that Red Bull family, I really don’t see myself anywhere else. So that’s where I’d love to stay and continue.

“I also said before the weekend in Canada that I obviously want to earn it – I don’t just want it to be ‘okay, stay another year’. I want to be here because I know that I still belong here and can do performances like I did last weekend.

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“So it’s also up to me just to make sure that I can keep pulling it out. In that case, I’ll be very happy to stay.”

Despite the lack of points finishes compared to his team mate, Ricciardo believes his performances have not been reflected in where he has finished.

“The result always helps. The feeling hasn’t been too far off. I think it’s just where I’ve crossed the finish line, that hasn’t always been where I obviously want to be.

“But I don’t think it’s been far off. Obviously in Canada, from Friday practice we were on the front foot and we continued that all through the weekend. We hadn’t had one of those weekends in a long time – or I hadn’t – so it was nice just to start good and end good.

“The team’s been great with updates and I think the car has definitely made some steps forward. So I have confidence we can have more of those weekends in the next few and be there more consistently.”

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