Red Bull gets advice: 'He's not the future of the team'

Daniel Ricciardo will feature as a reserve driver for Red Bull Racing next season. David Croft and Karun Chandhok expect the Austrian formation to investigate how good Riciardo still is, so Red Bull can compare him with Sergio Perez's qualities. They say this in conversation with Sky Sports.

Chandhok thinks Ricciardo still has the level to be important, but is not sure if the Australian still fits into the team. Indeed, a lot has changed at Red Bull since his departure in 2018. "I think Max has changed a lot, too," he states.

"I think Daniel vs Checo is an interesting fight for '24 seat... but how do they evaluate Daniel? They can put him in the sim, but it's not like driving the real car. So will they give him a go in a test somewhere? That's what I'd like to see."

David Croft

Croft feels that Perez and Ricciardo are not comparable, which will make the choice more difficult. "I think they're two very different styles of driver. They're both capable of winning races, but they win races in very different ways."

He does not expect Red Bull to end up with Ricciardo. His current age of 33 would play an important role in this. "Daniel's a fantastic bloke... but he's not the future of Red Bull, mainly because of age." Croft therefore advises Red Bull to bring in another driver should Perez disappoint.