Red Bull boss tells Ricciardo there’s ‘no room’ for him

Red Bull’s driving chief has shut the door on his team offering Daniel Ricciardo a lifeline, despite the Aussie’s future being thrown into uncertainty.

Red Bull driver manager Helmut Marko has ruled out his team offering Daniel Ricciardo a lifeline as the Aussie navigates an uncertain future beyond the 2019 Formula 1 season.

Marko, the man who pushed for Ricciardo’s promotion from Toro Rosso to Red Bull back at his previous team, says there is “no room” for Ricciardo to return to Red Bull in 2020.

Red Bull’s chief advisor made his comments amid swirling rumours about Renault’s uncertain future in Formula 1.

Renault team boss Cyril Abiteboul poured petrol on the rumours his team could leave Formula 1 last week when he refused to reject claims from Renault’s CEO Clotilde Delbos that the team’s involvement in Formula 1 would be reviewed.

Renault pulling the pin on Formula 1 would leave Ricciardo and future teammate Esteban Ocon without a driving seat for next year — at a time when every seat available has already been decided.

Marko has now told F1-Insider his team wouldn’t consider making an offer to Ricciardo should Renault fold.

“Our drivers are fixed. There is no room,” he said.

His declaration comes despite Red Bull being yet to finalise its driver line-up for 2020 with only superstar Max Verstappen locked in.

Marko has said previously Daniil Kvyat, Alexander Albon and Pierre Gasly will all be remaining with the Red Bull-Toro Rosso set-up, but the team is yet to announce which of the three drivers will be partnering Verstappen in the premier team and which drivers will ride with development outfit Toro Rosso next year.

Just like old times.

Marko also ruled out accommodating Ricciardo with a third car in 2020.

He said it is likely a new team would takeover from Renault to run Ricciardo’s Enstone-based team should Renault give up on Formula 1.

Delbos said last month said the Renault F1 team would be part of the company’s “deep review” of operations.

Unconfirmed reports claim the new Renault CEO is not a fan of the company’s expensive involvement in Formula 1.

“I am not specifically targeting those two activities that you mentioned but clearly the review of the ‘Drive the Future’ plans means that we put (everything) on the table,” Delbos said.

“It is like a normal process. It is just not a minor review. We are really launching a deep review of our ‘Drive the Future’ plan in order to take into account the new context of the market, the change in usage, mobility etc. and the current situation of the group.

“Everything can be on the table at some point. This is a deep review of our strategy and of our plan.”

WHAT VETTEL SAID TO HAMILTON AFTER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

If you can’t beat ‘em.

Sebastian Vettel told Lewis Hamilton he “deserves all” of his Formula 1 success after his generational rival clinched a sixth world championship title.

Despite retiring from the US GP early on in Austin on a surprisingly troubled Sunday for Ferrari, Vettel appeared in the cool-down room before the podium to personally congratulate Hamilton on the Mercedes drivers’ latest F1 triumph.

Vettel and Hamilton, the winners of nine of the 10 world titles this decade and now 10 in total, have developed a strong mutual respect for each other’s achievements and abilities.

“I think now is the time for you to write as many good things as you can,” said Vettel of Hamilton’s sixth title.

“If somebody wins the title six times he deserves all of it. That’s what I told him as well.”

After vying with Hamilton for the titles for much of the previous two seasons before losing out, Vettel has not been a title challenger this year with Ferrari unable to mount a year-long challenge to Mercedes.

“Obviously I’m happy for him, I’m not happy that we are not in contention this year and we were so far back,” said Vettel, fifth in the championship.

“But you need to respect what he achieved the last years and also this year, together with his team how strong they have been.

“I’m happy for him but less happy for us.”

Charles Leclerc, Vettel’s Ferrari teammate and their lead driver in the championship this year, also paid his respects to Hamilton. Leclerc was just 11 when the Briton won his first world crown in 2008.

“On my side, I didn’t even win one world title — only one title is already is a huge achievement, to win six is just incredible,” said the 22-year-old.

“He deserves it. He has done an incredible season. I grew up watching him on the TV and just huge congratulations to him.”

— James Galloway, Skysports.com