Red Bull F1 boss Christian Horner addresses Daniel Ricciardo’s departure

While the Formula 1 grid is quiet, amidst a break until the United States Grand Prix later this month, the action off the track is anything but. Visa Cash App RB F1 Team confirmed after the Singapore Grand Prix that Daniel Ricciardo would be sidelined for the rest of the season, with reserve driver Liam Lawson taking his place for the final six race weekends of the 2024 F1 season.

Now, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has opened up on the decision to sideline one of the sport’s most recognizable, and experienced drivers.

Speaking with host Tom Clarkson and 1996 Drivers’ Champion Damon Hill on the latest installment of the F1 Nation podcast, Horner outlined how the decision came down to a lack of consistency from Ricciardo.

“I think it was the lack of consistency,” said Horner.

“I mean, he started the season roughly, and then Miami was a weekend of two halves. The Friday and Saturday morning was fantastic, and it looked like the Daniel of old, defending against Ferraris and out-driving the car.”

However, while the F1 Sprint Race showed us the Ricciardo of old, qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix and the race itself were a different story.

“But then the Saturday afternoon and the Sunday were disastrous,” continued Horner on the F1 Nation podcast. “And even around Barcelona, Helmut [Marko] wanted him out of the car, and there was already a lot of pressure on him there.”

That revelation, that Red Bull Senior Advisor Dr. Helmut Marko wanted Ricciardo out of the car around the Spanish Grand Prix, puts an aspect of that race weekend in new light. As first noted by F1TV analyst Will Buxton, Ricciardo’s helmet had a hand-written message on it in Barcelona.

“Not without a fight:”

Horner stressed that he did everything he could to keep Ricciardo in that seat.

“I’ve done my very best to buy him as much time in the car to allow him to deliver, otherwise he would have been out of the car after Barcelona,” continued Horner.

The Red Bull boss also indicated that there was hope that Ricciardo could perform well enough to earn a promotion to the senior team, a move that the driver viewed as his “fairytale” ending. However, that lack of consistency ultimately doomed that dream scenario.

“I think that all the drivers are under pressure to deliver, but the reason that Daniel was in that car was to get himself back into a position to ultimately be there to pick up the pieces if [Sergio Pérez] didn’t deliver,” stated Horner on F1 Nation.

“And the problem was they both had issues with form at varying times. Checo started the season very well, very strongly, and Daniel was struggling. And then obviously, as Checo lost form, Daniel found a bit of form, but it was never compelling enough to say, ‘Okay, you know, we should switch the two drivers.’”

Now Lawson will get a chance to show what he can do, over the final six race weekends of the 2024 F1 season.

Starting later this month in Austin.