P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Sergio Perez has been warned his Red Bull F1 seat is “not going to be safe” for as long as Daniel Ricciardo is driving for sister team AlphaTauri.
F1 presenter Will Buxton believes that Red Bull has realized that the only driver who can replace Daniel Ricciardo is Ricciardo himself. While Sergio Perez’s position at Red Bull has been under scrutiny, the team has reiterated that he will be retained for 2024. Buxton suggests that Ricciardo was brought back to F1 with AlphaTauri to pressure Perez, and if Ricciardo can regain his previous form, he could make a dream return to the senior team. The Red Bull duo of Ricciardo and Max Verstappen was considered the best driver lineup the team has had, but now Verstappen has elevated himself to a level beyond most drivers. If Perez cannot maintain consistent P2 finishes in the best car on the grid, Red Bull will question his presence. Despite missing out on a P2 finish in the last race of the season, Perez secured second place in the drivers’ championship, giving Red Bull their first-ever 1-2 finish in the standings.
