Two races to save his career: Ricciardo faces shock RB axing over F1 slump as Kiwi ace looms

Daniel Ricciardo has reportedly been handed an ultimatum by Red Bull head honcho Helmut Marko to find some pace over the next two races, or he’ll be axed from RB.

The NZ Herald reports Kiwi Liam Lawson, the RB reserve driver who was very impressive in a brief stint in Ricciardo’s then-AlphaTauri seat last year, is being eyed as his replacement.

The Aussie is yet to score a point and has been outqualified by teammate Yuki Tsunoda across the first three races of the F1 season.

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Ricciardo was eliminated in Q1 at the Australian Grand Prix, having been fast enough to advance into Q2 but missing out due to a track limits violation causing his best time to be ruled out. Tsunoda then advanced into Q3 before finishing seventh.

With Tsunoda tied to the team via engine supplier Honda until the end of 2025, and therefore safe, it leaves Ricciardo needing to rediscover the form he showed late last season.

In late 2023 the ex-Red Bull, Renault and McLaren driver showed enough in a Red Bull test to replace Dutchman Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri, and then outperformed Tsunoda.

But it’s claimed “should Ricciardo fail to improve over the next two Grand Prix in Japan and China respectively, Red Bull will perform a swap that sees Lawson likely installed in the Racing Bulls (RB) seat for Miami and remain with the team for the rest of the season.”

The report also states Lawson is currently viewed as the best long-term option to replace Red Bull No.2 driver Sergio Perez, who is out of contract at the end of the season, and partner three-time champion Max Verstappen.

Lawson came home ninth in Singapore last year, the team’s best performance of the year to that point, replacing Ricciardo when he was sidelined with a broken hand.

While early the move would continue the Red Bull family trend of brutal, quick decisions over many years.

That includes axings at Red Bull, where Verstappen was promoted to partner Ricciardo in 2016 after just four races, taking the spot of Daniil Kvyat.

Three years later Pierre Gasly lost his Red Bull drive to Alex Albon after 12 races, with the Thai lasting just a season and a half before being replaced by Perez.