Not Daniel Ricciardo, American Owners Urge Red Bull to Target 2 F1 Stars to Give Stiff Competition to Max Verstappen

If we ask you what is your favorite Grand Prix of all time, what will your answer be? Definitely, not a race in which a driver won by over 20+ seconds. Well, that is what Max Verstappen and Red Bull have been doing lately. The American owners have urged Red Bull to target drivers that’ll give stiff competition to Max Verstappen. Red Bull has come up with 2 F1 Stars. However, Daniel Ricciardo isn’t one of them. Then who are the two drivers?

Daniel Ricciardo is back in F1 as a full-time driver with AlphaTauri. And yes, it’s not the team people expected the Australian to join. However, as Sergio Perez’s struggles continue, many speculate that this remainder of the F1 season is a test for Daniel Ricciardo to get the Red Bull seat. While the Honey Badger impressed everyone at the Pirelli tire test, Red Bull just wants to see if Daniel Ricciardo has still got it.

Nonetheless, there’s some bad news for Daniel Ricciardo regarding the Red Bull seat. Max Verstappen has been the dominant force in F1 this season with nobody even close to him. While the dominance is good for the driver and team, not so much for the fans. In light of this, Formu1a.uno suggests that Liberty Media has asked Red Bull to sign a competitive driver alongside Max Verstappen so that even if the team is dominating, there’ll still be a fight between the teammates. Formu1a.uno suggests that Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc are the targets for the same. 

Read More: Despite Oscar Piastri’s Exploits at Silverstone, Daniel Ricciardo Dubbed “The Perfect Number Two” for a Unique Quality That Fellow Aussie Lacks

We’ve already seen Lando Norris giving competition to Max Verstappen in an inferior car at the Silverstone Circuit last weekend. And Charles Leclerc’s blistering raw pace is praised all over the paddock. Whoever it may be, Ricciardo’s Red Bull dream seems to be fading away. However, the Aloha Tauri team boss seems delighted to have Ricciardo on board.

Franz Tost welcomes Daniel Ricciardo onboard 

Daniel Ricciardo began his F1 career at the very team he’s signed for now. The Australian was a reserve driver for AlphaTauri (formerly known as Toro Rosso). In 2012, he signed as a full-time driver and got promoted to Red Bull in 2014. Tost welcomed his former prodigy back home, explaining how Ricciardo already knows a lot of people around the team. 

According to Formula1.com, Franz Tost said, “I’m very pleased to welcome Daniel back into the team. There’s no doubt about his driving skills, and he already knows many of us, so his integration will be easy and straightforward. The team will also profit a lot from his experience, as he is an eight-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner.”

Watch this Story: When Daniel Ricciardo Almost Had a Chance to Move to Ferrari

What do you think? Will Red Bull sign a competitive driver alongside Max Verstappen?