Daniel Ricciardo at the centre of axing claim amid development around F1 young gun

Daniel Ricciardo's Formula One (F1) seat is reportedly under serious threat, with claims suggesting Red Bull is considering removing the Aussie as soon as this week. Ricciardo has struggled in 2024, with his results far from what the F1 juggernaut would have hoped for.

Reports have emerged this week that Red Bull is set to cut him ahead of the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, replacing him with 22-year-old Kiwi Liam Lawson. Racing pundit Richard Bradley said the writing is on the wall for Ricciardo to be sacked by Red Bull any day now.

When asked on the 'On Track GP F1 Podcast' whether Ricciardo will be in the seat come the next race, Bradley said: "I don’t think so, no". "If you just look at it, it was one qualification and one race he did a very good job in that, but let’s actually look at it in terms of overall at the beginning of this year," he said.

"That’s two good sessions out of how many? I’m sorry but I think the writing’s on the wall. Liam Lawson is proven, he’s right there."

Ricciardo began the new season with high hopes of cracking back into Red Bull's top team, reclaiming the seat he once occupied. There were positive signs in pre-season testing but he has failed to replicate those performances in 2024.

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Ricciardo finally showed some promising signs with a fourth-place finish in the Sprint Race in Miami a week ago, securing his first championship points of the season. But he then struggled in qualifying, meaning he had to start from the back of the grid for the Grand Prix and was never in the mix.

The Aussie has also been consistently outperformed by teammate Yuki Tsunoda, a man he was expected to outshine by a fair margin. And Red Bull are understood to hold 22-year-old Kiwi Lawson in high regard and are ready to pull the trigger.

Liam Lawson desperate for F1 crack

Lawson filled in for Ricciardo for five races last season while the Aussie recovered from a broken hand, and the New Zealander beat Tsunoda in all but one race. He also secured his first top-10 finish in sweltering conditions in Singapore.

Lawson is understood to be chomping at the bit for a call-up. The Kiwi had previously expressed his shock ahead of the 2024 F1 season about not getting a spot at VISA Cash App RB ahead of Tsunoda and Ricciardo. "It’s tough knowing that I don’t get the seat even though I’ve beaten a guy that’s getting a seat,” Lawson said on the latest season of Drive to Survive, referencing Tsunoda.

“I don’t know how to f***ing answer that honestly because it’s meant to be me, so … Obviously it’s frustrating. There’s a lot of things going on, to be honest. I think emotionally and mentally, pretty draining yeah.”

"But to be honest, it’s been hard to actually enjoy it," Lawson said of his successful stint for AlphaTauri. "Until I have that security or having that contract for a full-time seat, it’s hard to really enjoy it."

Red Bull boss shuts down Daniel Ricciardo sacking rumours

Red Bull supremo Helmut Marko- who is responsible for Red Bull’s junior development - says speculation Ricciardo could be sacked as soon as this week was ill-founded. "The rumours that Ricciardo will be replaced by Liam Lawson at Imola are nonsense," Marko wrote in his column for Speedweek.

"Liam’s manager from New Zealand was there and, apparently, he has certain dreams and they are made known through some media, including from New Zealand. Nothing at all is planned in Imola. But, of course, we will look at this in the future."

Marko has never been scared to pull the trigger on a mid-season axing. Last year the Red Bull boss ditched Nyck De Vries after just a single fast lap in testing, handing Ricciardo his chance.