Daniel Ricciardo is adamant that a potential Formula 1 return to Red Bull in the future is not impossible despite the news that Sergio Perez has renewed with the side.
Ricciardo entered this season with Red Bull’s second-string squad, RB, aiming to stake his claim to replace Perez and partner with Max Verstappen again come 2025.
However, the Australian has endured a challenging start to the campaign as he has recorded five points compared to less experienced team-mate Yuki Tsunoda’s 19.
Ricciardo has admitted he has failed to meet the standards required to earn a promotion to the reigning champions in the opening eight rounds of the current season.
But the seven-time grand prix winner is confident that Perez’s new multi-term agreement has not slammed the door on his dream to earn the drive he vacated in 2018.
“I hold myself accountable for not doing anything too spectacular,” he told GP Blog. “When you’re trying to fight for a top seat you need to be doing some pretty awesome things.
“I don’t think it means it will never happen. It’s still a place I’d love to finish my career. But obviously in the now short term, that’s not going to happen.”
He added: “I don’t think it [Perez’s extension] means anything like ‘oh, that’s it’. I don’t see it as, ‘oh maybe I won’t get a chance or anything’.”
Ricciardo delivered an impressive fourth place in the Miami Sprint, but that has since transpired to have been a rare glimmer than a base for a sustained run of form.
“Personally, I’ve had one amazing result in Miami. But then the rest of my season has not been what I expected out of myself.
“I want my season to go better than it is to really help with any opportunities like that. I’m also realistic.”
But with his prospects for 2025 remaining unclear, Ricciardo insists that he wants to be making strides on the track at a quicker rate than he has been doing to date.
“Each weekend maybe it’s one step forward…I still want it to be progressing quicker,” he admitted.
“But I do think we are taking steps. I still believe I can turn it around, just do better moving forward.
“And, yeah, just kick some butt. And obviously if I’m here next year, then that’ll also make me happy.”
However, Ricciardo is certain he retains the pace to compete at the top and believes that incremental changes are needed to unlock that on a more consistent basis.
“I know I still have the speed. I’ve maybe just had to work a little bit too hard to fight for that consistency at the moment,” he explained.
“Since Monaco, took a good look at myself. I don’t think I need to flip the thing upside down, but it’s making one or two changes here and there.
“Just give me that extra little bit to make a weekend smoother and then keep that momentum going.”
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