Formula One F1 - Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria - June 27, 2024 RB's Daniel Ricciardo ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
(Reuters) - Daniel Ricciardo said Red Bull had given him no ultimatum as pressure mounts on the Australian to save his RB seat in Formula One.
Ricciardo is out of contract at the end of the season and his hope of replacing Sergio Perez at Red Bull next year has already gone, with the Mexican handed a contract extension this month.
His place at Red Bull-owned RB, the sister team to the champions, also looks under threat with Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko this week indicating it was time to bring in a young driver.
New Zealander Liam Lawson is the reserve and waiting for another opportunity after impressing as a stand-in.
Ricciardo told reporters at the Austrian Grand Prix on Thursday that he only found out about Marko's comments when he arrived at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring.
"I don't feel one way or another about it. I still know the overriding thing in this sport is performance," said the 34-year-old.
"That's what will give me my best chance of staying here. I know that. It's not going to be my smile or anything else, it's the on-track stuff.
"There hasn't been any pressure, ultimatum, nothing like that," he added.
"But also I've been in the sport a long time. I know that if I'm getting my a** kicked every weekend at some point someone will be like 'hey mate, step it up, otherwise...'. But I haven't had that."
RB have already confirmed Japan's Yuki Tsunoda as one of their drivers for 2025 and chief executive Peter Bayer said in May that the team were happy with both and the focus was on races until the summer break.
There are three races remaining, including Austria, before the August interval.
Ricciardo is an eight times grand prix winner, seven of them with Red Bull from 2014-18, but he has been outscored by Tsunoda over the 10 races so far this season.
Last year was a comeback season for Ricciardo after he left McLaren by mutual agreement at the end of 2022 following a difficult two seasons with a 2021 win at Monza standing out among otherwise below-par performances.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Ken Ferris)
