Ricciardo Inching Closer to a New Red Bull Deal

Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo seems to be close to committing with the Austrian team beyond 2018.

The Australian is out of contract at the end of the season and had been assessing his options at Mercedes or Ferrari first.

The Mercedes team is expected to retain Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas for 2019 and beyond. Meanwhile Ferrari will pair Sebastian Vettel with either Kimi Raikkonen or Charles Leclerc.

Red Bull has been keen to retain Ricciardo, a seven-time grand prix winner, alongside Max Verstappen.

Ricciardo would also like to close the pay gap between himself and Verstappen, who signed a lucrative new deal in 2017.

Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Ricciardo and Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko declared that a new deal is “getting closer”.

The 28-year old said: “It’s not over yet but it will come. Soon. The time is not far away.”

Marko admitted that the talks were “just details” that needed to be clarified. He said “I don’t think Daniel is in a good position” in the driver market.

With Ferrari and Mercedes uninterested in the Australian, McLaren and Renault were the only parties eyeing him, However, the two teams are too far behind Red Bull in terms of competitiveness.

So, Renault are likely to retain Nico Hulkenberg and Red Bull loanee Carlos Sainz Jr. The latter could switch to a permanent deal with the French manufacturer.

“Mercedes and Ferrari have a number one driver who is clearly declared,” said Marko.

“I know Ricciardo did not receive an offer from Ferrari.

“Renault will, as far as I know, stay with the current drivers. Above all, I don’t think Renault is playing in the budget regions that Ricciardo has in mind.

“Daniel is in a situation where he has no sporting alternative to us. He probably imagined it differently.

“We want it [to continue with Ricciardo], but not at any price.”