Daniel Ricciardo has openly shared his delight and surprise at the swirling rumors linking him to a potential return to Red Bull, possibly stepping into the shoes of Sergio Perez. Despite Perez having a confirmed seat with Red Bull for the upcoming 2024 season, the Formula 1 rumor mill has been ablaze with speculations about Ricciardo’s potential involvement.
The intensifying scrutiny of Perez’s performance in the RB19 at Red Bull’s sister team, AlphaTauri, after taking over from Nyck de Vries midseason, has added fuel to the speculative fire. Even with Perez seemingly secured alongside Max Verstappen under the management of Christian Horner, the persistent rumors have kept the motorsport community buzzing.
For Ricciardo, a seasoned driver familiar with the cutthroat nature of Formula 1, the prospect of being linked with a prestigious move back to Red Bull brings a mix of relief and surprise. The intricate dynamics and uncertainties of the sport continue to keep fans and insiders alike on their toes, eagerly anticipating any developments in the unfolding offseason narrative.
Ricciardo: Speculations About Red Bull Return Bring a Smile to My Face
“I definitely don’t see it as pressure,” Ricciardo told the media ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when asked about the rumours.
“I think 12 months ago, a lot of the – call it rumour lists, for lack of a better word – were normally negatively directed at me.
“So for me to be in a conversation again, whether it’s a rumour or not about ‘Oh, could you be back in a Red Bull one day?’, 12 months ago, 18 months ago, I never would have thought that would be a conversation.
”Even if it is just a rumour, I just didn’t think a rumour like that would exist.
“I think that just makes me smile. It gives me a lot of encouragement that just through the highs and the lows, the ups and downs, if you stay on the straight and narrow, crazy things can happen.”
How about you, what do you think about this potential trade ?
