Daniel Ricciardo opens up on a potential rivalry against Yuki Tsunoda at Racing Bulls

Daniel Ricciardo believes the shared goal of targeting the Red Bull Racing seat in 2025 is motivating and positive. Speaking to media including Sportskeeda ahead of the 2024 Bahrain GP, the RB driver felt that the rivalry with his teammate is not a hindrance or distraction from his focus.

With the 2025 Red Bull Racing seat a common goal for the RB driver duo, the 2024 season will be a litmus test of their potential. Daniel Ricciardo hopes that the common goal of impressing their employers will make both push each other on the track.

According to Helmut Marko, the 34-year-old will have to outperform his Japanese teammate consistently to secure that seat. The former Red Bull Racing driver felt that the 2025 drive remains on the back burner while the focus at hand is the current season ahead.

Asked how he will handle competing with Tsunoda who also targets his former seat at Red Bull for 2025, Daniel Ricciardo replied:

“I think, yeah, look, it's good to have that, let's say, as a goal for both of us. It's natural. So it's nice for it to be somewhere, maybe towards the back of our head. But I don't think that you know. I think on a positive, that will bring out let's say, the best competitors in us."

"And obviously drive hopefully drive each other a little bit further but am I lining up on the grid thinking about ‘oh if I have a good race I'm gonna be in that seat or whatever’- No. Like I'm not it's yeah that's the best way to probably say it's there as a goal but it's not there like as my focus does it help in that way.”

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Daniel Ricciardo reckons RB is trying to build a better package overall as a team

Daniel Ricciardo believes the new signings at the RB team have brought in fresh energy to change their identity from being a B-team to Red Bull. He praised the experience that senior personnel like Laurent Mekies and Alan Permane brought to the team.

The former McLaren driver felt that the results of the structural changes within the team might take time to reflect. Asked if the new signings at RB make the outfit beyond a B-team or sister team to Red Bull Racing, Daniel Ricciardo said:

“Yeah, and it's not anything to who was here and we all know Franz was such a big member of the team and I think brought a lot of amazing things to the team over the years. So it's not about let's say the people, who aren't here anymore but you know you need sometimes just a little bit of a fresh start."

"And I think obviously not only the team's got new partners and a nice bit of investment. But you've got Laurent who's got experience. used to have experience here at this team and then Ferrari, FIA and Alan who's been a Renault Alpine for so long.”

He added:

“So just having a little bit of also people coming in from different teams and different angles can kind of form new ways of thinking and yeah just like fresh set of eyes I think always helps and you can always draw some positives from that. So with that though like there is maybe the I don’t want to say the negatives."

"But yeah, with that though maybe it takes a little bit of time for all of us to like fully gel with each other. But I think long term as the season goes on It's we're building something to be overall a better package.”

The return of Daniel Ricciardo to the Red Bull sister team itself has played out positively, as they were propelled from tenth place to eighth in the constructor’s championship. With new sponsors and better funding, the Australian has mentioned several times at the preseason test that their goal is to eventually lead the mid-field pack.

After a decent performance at the preseason test, many believe that the Faenza-based squad could be in a more competitive form. They were fifth fastest for two out of three days of testing and the former Red Bull driver’s lap-time was almost on par with Ferrari and McLaren.