The one thing Formula 1 drivers hate more than anything is to lose to their teammates. And if you keep losing to them, it takes a toll on your confidence, especially when you’re not even a second driver. Sergio Perez would know exactly how that feels because he’s up against Max Verstappen, one of the best drivers in the modern era of F1. Except for Daniel Ricciardo, none of Verstappen’s teammates have been able to come even close to him let alone challenge him consistently. In the new season of ‘Drive To Survive’, Christian Horner revealed that Red Bull is keeping a close watch on the Aussie’s performance.

Daniel Ricciardo was in prime form during the 2018 season. If it were not for his miserable reliability issues throughout the year that relegated him to 6th in the championship, he would have been a strong challenger for the title that year. Apart from his 8 DNFs, the Honey Badger scored 2 victories and 9 top-five finishes. On the remaining two occasions, he came home in 6th place. It was a remarkable year for him and he could very well have beaten Max Verstappen.

Daniel Ricciardo knows his prospects for 2025 says Horner

In the 2nd episode of Drive To Survive Season 6, Christian Horner revealed a surprising sentiment during a candid moment with his daughter. When asked which driver holds the top spot in his heart, Horner confessed, “Daniel Ricciardo.” Horner spoke about Ricciardo’s history with Red Bull, highlighting his successes during his five-year stint with the team, including 7 Grand Prix victories and over 20 podium finishes.

However, Horner was left deeply disappointed with the direction of his career when the Aussie failed to emulate his success at Renault and, especially, at McLaren. And when Ricciardo was at his lowest, Horner was willing to take him back into the Red Bull family and allow him to reignite his passion for the sport. And now that Ricciardo is back on the grid full-time in 2024, Horner will closely monitor his performance. In the 9th episode of DTS, Christian Horner said, “He was one of the highest-regarded drivers on Formula 1 three or four years ago. And in 2023, nobody wanted to give him a race seat.“

“There’s still question marks of what happened at McLaren over the last couple of years. So, it’s inevitable that there’s gonna be a lot of pressure on him. In Formula 1, you’re judged against your teammate. We’re following Daniel very closely. He is a prospect for us for 2025 if he delivers. And he knows that. But his teammate at AlphaTauri, Yuki Tsunoda, also knows that, and will be looking to make sure that he’s putting himself at the forefront of our mind as well,” he added.

READ MORE: Red Bull ‘Desperately Wants Daniel Ricciardo Back’ to Replace Sergio Perez in the Summer Break

2024 will be a do-or-die season for Checo if he wants to save his seat alongside Verstappen.

Christian Horner says the Red Bull seat is Sergio Perez’s to lose

With Max Verstappen eyeing his fourth consecutive world title, Perez has to step up his game to secure his future with the team. Christian Horner has made it clear that Perez’s fate rests in his own hands. While he acknowledged Perez as the right choice for Red Bull “at the moment,” he also emphasized that the Mexican driver’s continuation with the team depends on how well he performs in the upcoming season.

“I think he knows what he’s got to do,“ Horner was quoted by Sports Illustrated. “He’s been around the sport long enough, and he’s got enough experience.“ Horner also said that drivers from other camps have also shown interest in joining Red Bull. “You can imagine that when you’ve got a car that’s won all bar one race, it’s pretty appealing to any driver on the grid,” he added. But Red Bull has its own drivers like Ricciardo, Liam Lawson, and Yuki Tsunoda to consider first.

Do you think Ricciardo will return to his top form in 2024 with the newly rebranded Visa Cash App RB team? Share your insights in the comments down below.