Lewis Hamilton will join Ferrari in 2025, replacing Carlos Sainz, whose future remains unclear.
Daniel Ricciardo is not a Mercedes option for the upcoming season, according to Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko, because the Austrian driver is bound by a “long-term contract” with the team.
After his contract with McLaren was terminated, Ricciardo joined Red Bull again as a development driver at the beginning of 2023; nevertheless, he was back in a race seat by the middle of the season.
At AlphaTauri, now known as Visa Cash App RB (VCARB), the eight-time Formula 1 race winner was selected to succeed Nyck de Vries. He did well enough to be awarded a seat for 2024.
After their rebranding, Ricciardo has adapted back into the Red Bull sister team quite well and is thought of as a fantastic asset to the squad.
Though Ricciardo has publicly stated that he wants to race for Red Bull once more, it’s no secret that he has goals beyond competing for VCARB.
Since Sergio Perez’s contract expires at the end of 2024, Ricciardo may have a chance to be promoted for the second time in his Formula One career if he has a successful season.
Marko has emphasized that Mercedes is not permitted to steal the Australian to replace Lewis Hamilton, who is departing the Silver Arrows at the end of this season, regardless of whether Red Bull promotes him in 2025 or not.
After agreeing to a “multi-year” contract, Hamilton will join Ferrari for 2025 and will be subject to the new power unit rules with the Italian team starting in 2026.
But in 2025, the 34-year-old won’t be at Mercedes with George Russell.
“Ricciardo is not available (for Mercedes) as he still has a long-term contract,” Marko stated to F1 Insider.
The three drivers that have been most frequently associated with Hamilton’s seat thus far are Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, and Alex Albon; none of them presently holds a contract through 2025.
While Sainz needs to find a new team because Hamilton is replacing him, Albon and Alonso, despite being unsigned, will both likely receive a new contract offer from their present employers.
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