Daniel Ricciardo downplayed talk of replacing Sergio Pérez at Red Bull next year, saying no conversations on the topic have taken place.
AlphaTauri driver Ricciardo outqualified Pérez last time out in Mexico and then drove a strong race to seventh.
Pérez, who has a Red Bull contract through to the end of 2024, crashed out of the race at Turn 1 after clumsily trying to pass Charles Leclerc for the lead.
Their contrasting fortunes at Pérez’s home race intensified rumours at the start of the week of Red Bull opting to replace him with Ricciardo next year.
Asked ahead of Brazil’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix whether Red Bull has talked to him about that scenario, Ricciardo said: “I haven’t. Obviously all the stuff around my contract next year has been related to AlphaTauri. So yeah, I can say that honestly that’s as far as that goes.”
Ricciardo raced for Red Bull between 2014 and 2018.
Sources have told ESPN there have been no serious discussions about that Ricciardo-for-Pérez scenario yet, although that might change before the year is out.
Team boss Christian Horner also insisted after the Mexico race that Pérez’s future was not contingent on whether he can secure second in the championship.
Max Verstappen, who wrapped up the title in Qatar and has won a record 16 races this year, said he would happily be teammates with Pérez or Ricciardo, whom he partnered between 2016 and 2018.
“I always had a great relationship with Daniel when we were teammates. … At the same time also I have a great relationship with Checo, so I find it a bit unfair to now sit here and say who I would prefer as a teammate or whatever.
“They have been great teammates, and it’s not up to me at the end of the day to make these kind of decisions because I’m very focused on my own performance. So yeah, if it’s Checo next year, then great — I have a great working relationship with him but also personally I think he is a great guy — if it’s Daniel, also we have a great relationship and we will get on fine.”
Verstappen’s answer suggested he is not completely ruling out the idea of a swap taking place.
“F1 can be a tough sport, and you are asking these kind of questions. But also maybe nothing happens, right? We’ll see.”
Source: www.espn.com