Daniel Ricciardo says he is “not thinking too far ahead” as his name and others are linked to the vacant Mercedes spot.
Lewis Hamilton's sudden departure to Ferrari has left Mercedes with a void to fill in their 2025 line-up, and almost as soon as Hamilton's move was confirmed speculation began as to who would replace him. .
Mercedes took a year to figure it out, but that didn't stop almost every driver, including Daniel Ricciardo, from being associated with the seat.
Daniel Ricciardo dismisses rumors of a move to Mercedes
Ricciardo is in his 14th F1 season and is one of a number of drivers whose contracts expire at the end of this year. Although it seems much more likely that he will stay at Red Bull, Ricciardo has given his opinion on the vacant seat at the Silver Arrows.
“I'm definitely not thinking too far ahead,” the Australian said at the launch of RB. “At this part of my career, looking ahead feels like a year coming to an end. So it's more of a reason for me to be there now and take race by race seriously.
“Perhaps among them, [Mercedes’] Their position is that they are in no hurry. So they will judge everyone, how they are doing, the driver market, etc. So I think this is a good position for them.
“Part of me is just happy that we're not going to get caught up in all this crazy stuff, especially early in the season. So if a ridiculous season starts without me, that's fine with me at this point. is!”
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Ricciardo is in the final year of his contract with Sergio Perez and is aiming for the top spot at Red Bull. To achieve that, he must first perform well in the second team, suggesting a top-five finish is within reach.
“You have to aim high, but you want to be realistic because when you’re in this sport for so long, you don’t want to be disappointed at the end.
“Top five should be the goal, and if we can get to that position, we might be able to get a shot at the podium. Of course we want to win, but yeah… I think we took a step forward last year, so let's take a little bit more forward.
“I think those who finish within the top five will be considered as candidates, but is there a possibility that the top five will be considered as candidates during the first half of the season?'' I would like to think so. ”
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