Christian Horner, director of the Red Bull Formula 1 team, admitted that Australian Daniel Ricciardo will be the team’s third driver next season unless he “decides not to sign” the contract that they have offered him, and warned that this incorporation will not imply any change in the starting lineup.
Horner made it clear that the starting lineup for Red Bull will be made up of Dutch Max Verstappen and Mexican Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez.
“Daniel’s contract is very specific, for a reason specific: we have a contract with Checo for the next two years”, said Horner.
“We haven’t signed anything yet, but Helmut has enthusiastically announced it. I suppose that means that Daniel will join us, unless, of course, he decides not to sign it”, he indicated in statements collected on the official Formula 1 website.
Ricciardo belonged to the Red Bull structure in the past, first as a Toro Rosso driver and, later, in the main team, where he was from 2014 to 2014.
“Daniel is a great character. It’s been disappointing to see his performance this year, but he’s still one of the biggest names and characters in F1, and obviously has a history of being a Red Bull junior,” Horner recalled.
The Red Bull team manager assured that Pérez and Verstappen have a “good relationship” despite the clash last weekend in Brazil when the champion did not cede his position in the last lap for the Mexican to reach the last race with an advantage to take the runner-up position.
“The two drivers have a good relationship, they have raced well for the team and we have no reason to see it be any different tomorrow, or for the duration of their contractual commitment to the team from then on”, said Horner.
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