Daniel Ricciardo says there’s no added pressure as Liam Lawson signing hangs in the balance

With Liam Lawson waiting in the wings for his first seat at the F1 table, and with time closing for Red Bull to lock in his signature, Daniel Ricciardo says there’s no added pressure on him to perform.

MONZA, ITALY - AUGUST 31: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Visa Cash App RB looks on in the garage during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo Nazionale Monza on August 31, 2024 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

Daniel Ricciardo says Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko has not applied any extra pressure on him to perform and he has not received a perform-or-perish ultimatum.

Marko has been vocal in his support of young Kiwi Liam Lawson but Ricciardo believes he knows what is required to secure his own F1 future.

Ricciardo is the only one of Red Bull’s four race drivers without a contract for next year.

Uncertainty surrounds his future with the team before a critical clause in Lawson’s contract expires in the coming days.

Should Red Bull be unable to offer Lawson a race drive for 2025, the highly-rated 22-year-old will become a free agent.

The logical internal seat for him is the one filled by Ricciardo, which puts pressure on the eight-time race winner.

Daniel Ricciardo doesn’t feel any extra pressure to perform. Picture: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images

In Italy, Ricciardo finished 13th behind Williams debutant Franco Colapinto after a 10-second time penalty was applied.

That was courtesy of an error from RB in his pit stop when he was serving a five-second penalty for crowding Nico Hulkenberg off the road on the opening lap.

Though still trailing teammate Yuki Tsunoda in the drivers’ championship, Ricciardo has arguably been the better performer in recent races.

However, that upswing has coincided with a downturn in car performance.

“I haven’t had any unreasonable pressure,” Ricciardo said.

“I haven’t had the hand on the shoulder, pull me into the room and say ‘Hey, do this or else’.

“But I also know what’s required. Maybe this tough talk doesn’t need to be had because I’ve known Helmut a long time and the system.

“We all know what’s required buy he hasn’t been putting extra pressure on me or being unreasonable or unfair in anything. Not at all.

“Probably what is being put out, maybe what he says in the media or something, it’s a bit more heightened.

“But I don’t feel anything additional from him.”

It’s believed that Liam Lawson will join Jack Doohan with a seat on the grid in 2025. Picture: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Marko is a firm supporter of Lawson and earlier this year questioned Ricciardo’s position within RB once Sergio Perez was confirmed as a driver for Red Bull Racing next year.

The Mexican is another complication given the importance of his contribution to the constructors’ championship.

With McLaren having reeled Red Bull Racing in by more than 100 points in that competition, reducing the deficit to just eight points with eight races left, attention has been on Perez, who has not been on the podium since China.

Should he not improve soon, he could be ousted and Ricciardo is thought to be the driver most likely to replace him – if only for the short term.

However, Perez is not Red Bull Racing’s biggest concern. An underlying balance issue with the car was painfully obvious in Italy.

It creates a delicate situation for Red Bull, which has more drivers than seats, and performance concerns in multiple areas.

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Originally published as Daniel Ricciardo says there’s no added pressure as Liam Lawson signing hangs in the balance