Daniel Ricciardo alters stance on RB stay for 2025 with Red Bull hopes vanishing

Daniel Ricciardo says he would be happy to stay with RB for a second F1 season, even if it means missing out on a Red Bull drive.

The whole premise surrounding Ricciardo’s F1 return in the middle of last year was to eventually end up back at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen.

So far at least, it’s not worked out for the eight-time grand prix winner, who has been comprehensively out-performed by teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

Ricciardo’s immediate future is uncertain with Liam Lawson on the sidelines.

The Australian will need a quick turnaround in the upcoming races to ensure he doesn’t face the same fate as Nyck de Vries.

In an interview with Speedcafe, Ricciardo - for seemingly for the first time - stated that he would be fine sticking with RB for next season as he’s simply “enjoying the driving now”.

“As I feel today, yes,” Ricciardo said. “I'm enjoying the driving now; it's not so much result-driven. Obviously, I don't want to just be here to be here; I want to earn that seat and the team is hopefully further up.

“So yeah, I guess it goes both ways. I mean, the answer is yes. But is it more fun fighting at the front? Is it more fun fighting for podiums and wins? Absolutely.

“And the truth is, if I draw a line under it and I speak about myself in the third person: Why did Daniel Ricciardo return after a few months off last year? Because I believe I can stand on the podium again. I can win races again.

“Ultimately, that is it. The belief is there… As long as that belief is still there, I think I'll be happy being here. But when I eventually do hang it up, I would love to have stood on the podium a few more times.”

Ricciardo’s finest performance since returning to F1 was in Mexico - qualifying fourth before finishing seventh.

The 34-year-old wants to “remind” people that he still has what it takes to perform in F1.

“I want to make people proud and I want people that support me to feel proud of what's going on,” he added.

“It's not even proving anything; it's just that you want to remind people—I want to remind some people that two races are not career-defining. I'm not in a bad place. I'm not coming from a lack of confidence. Just all this, whatever, it's like yeah, you want to remind…

“In 2018, on my helmet for a little bit, I put some messages on the back of my helmet. I had ‘remind these cats'. People forget, you know… I want to prove it to myself that I can do stuff like I did in Mexico last year, just on a consistent basis.”