Daniel Ricciardo has been linked to a shock move to F1 minnows Williams as speculation around his future on the grid continues.
Williams has struggled for on-track performance for the better part of a decade, and hasn’t won a race since the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix.
However, the team has taken several steps forward since the Williams family sold the team to Dorilton Capital in 2020.
READ MORE: Superstars in frame for Queensland selection shake up
READ MORE: Gloveless keeper’s screamer seals rare cricket feat
READ MORE: ‘Beyond disgusted’ star sent awful letter after logo saga
While Williams re-signed Alex Albon on a “multi-year” deal that will keep him at the Grove outfit until at least the end of 2026, his teammate Logan Sargeant is expected to be out of a drive at the end of the year.
Williams team principal James Vowles had been open about his desire to sign Carlos Sainz, who will lose his ride at Ferrari to Lewis Hamilton next season, but is growing frustrated by the Spaniard’s reluctance to sign a contract.
Speaking to F1TV, respected F1 journalist Will Buxton said that has opened a door for Ricciardo.
“His entire future [is] on the line right now,” he said.
“There is much talk that he will be out of this seat after the summer break. There is talk that he may be in negotiations with Williams for their second seat next year alongside Alex Albon.
“Williams, as we understand, are sick of waiting for Carlos Sainz to make his mind up on where he wants to go next year and may close that door off for him.”
Speculation around Ricciardo’s future began when Red Bull announced Sergio Perez had signed a two-year deal to remain alongside Max Verstappen.
Given Ricciardo was brought into the RB squad to be evaluated as a potential replacement to Perez, it was the first sure sign he was on the outer.
The next came only days later when RB announced it had activated a one-year extension on Yuki Tsunoda’s contract.
The Japanese driver had at that point been linked to a move to Aston Martin, who will run Honda engines from 2026.
Red Bull junior Liam Lawson, who deputised for Ricciardo last year while he recovered from a broken hand, has been waiting patiently on the sidelines for an opportunity.
The RB team is in theory a junior development team to Red Bull. It makes most sense for Lawson to be in the seat. Helmut Marko, the man who makes most of the key driver decisions across the Red Bull stable, said as much last month.
“The shareholders have made it known that [RB] is a junior team and we have to act accordingly,” Marko said.
“The goal was that [Ricciardo] would be considered for Red Bull Racing with exceptional performances. That seat now belongs to Sergio Pérez, so that plan is no longer valid.
“We have to put a young driver in there soon. That would be Liam Lawson.”
So it puts Ricciardo well on the outer, and the pickings for a 2025 drive are slim outside of RB.
While there remain seven seats vacant – including his own – only three are realistic options should he be axed from RB.
Outside RB, the available seats are at Mercedes (one), Haas (two), Alpine (one), Sauber (one) and Williams (one).
Rookie Kimi Antonelli has been long-linked to Lewis Hamilton’s seat at Mercedes alongside George Russell. Although an announcement was expected by now, he’s still considered the most likely to sign there.
Ricciardo announced his departure from Alpine, then known as Renault, for McLaren ahead of the pandemic-delayed 2020 season. While no key personnel remain at the team since Ricciardo’s exit, a return to Enstone is considered highly unlikely.
Aussie rookie Jack Doohan remains in the box seat to be given the drive, although Zhou Guanyu has also been linked as the Alpine brand looks to gain something of a foothold in the massive Chinese car market.
Sauber has already confirmed Nico Hulkenberg will drive for the team in 2025 ahead of its transition into the factory Audi team for 2026. After his exit from Ferrari was confirmed, many believed Carlos Sainz was a formality to secure the other seat.
He remains among Sauber’s key targets, but like Williams, the squad is growing frustrated by Sainz’ stalling. A move to Sauber could be an option for Ricciardo, but it would be somewhat of an odd fit.
Sauber’s 2024 car is also an absolute donkey, and they remain the only team to not have scored a point all season.
Haas has two vacant seats. Oliver Bearman, who starred for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia as a stand-in for the ill Carlos Sainz, is considered a formality to secure one of those seats.
Haas has traditionally been one of the last, if not the last, team to confirm its driver lineups for the following season. But under the leadership of new team principal Ayao Komatsu, the team is arguably the most-improved of the season.
They sit seventh in the constructors championship, and Nico Hulkenberg beat Sergio Perez to sixth place in last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix on merit.
They’re a team on the up, and they have piqued the interest of a couple of race-winning drivers. The team is believed to have held discussions with Esteban Ocon and Valtteri Bottas, and was interested in Pierre Gasly before he re-signed with Alpine.
Ricciardo has not yet been linked to the drive, which leaves only Williams.
Once a powerhouse of the sport, Williams have won just one race in the past two decades, a shock win for Pastor Maldonado at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix. Their next previous win was at Brazil in 2004.
Williams are without a doubt in a rebuilding phase. The team took a big step forward in 2023, but have stagnated this season. Logan Sargeant’s poor performances are likely a contributing factor to the team’s struggles this season.
Although Williams has made no secrets about its desires to secure Carlos Sainz’ services, Ricciardo would be an equally capable pilot. He’s won eight grands prix, and has significant experience in developing cars.
His strong showing at the Canadian and Austrian grands prix will have no doubt brought him further into consideration.
Having said all of this that, Perez is in the midst of a form slump so deep it could threaten Red Bull’s stranglehold on the constructors title. That fresh contract would likely have a performance clause and a buy-out option, so his seat could yet become available.
Would Ricciardo be an option? Who knows. Not right now, but he might be a chance if he can continue to consistently score points.
He finished ninth in Austria, only two spots behind Perez.
The F1 season continues with the British Grand Prix this weekend.
|
Team |
2025 Drivers |
Potentials |
|
Red Bull |
Max Verstappen |
NA |
|
McLaren |
Lando Norris |
NA |
|
Ferrari |
Charles Leclerc |
NA |
|
Mercedes |
George Russell |
Kimi Antonelli |
|
RB |
Yuki Tsunoda |
Liam Lawson |
|
Haas |
TBC |
Oliver Bearman |
|
Sauber |
Nico Hulkenberg |
Valtteri Bottas (incumbent) |
|
Williams |
Alex Albon |
Carlos Sainz |
|
Aston Martin |
Fernando Alonso |
NA |
|
Alpine |
Pierre Gasly |
Jack Doohan |