Red Bull needs to improve its status in F1. Recently, another rupture occurred. After many rumors, Racing Bulls and Daniel Ricciardo have ended their collaboration. The Australian driver had not been performing at the same level on track as in the first phase of his experience in the top motorsport category. Yet, his return to the junior team of the energy drink giant was welcomed by his fans and Liberty Media. The reason is simple: the Australian is a much-loved figure.
Daniel Ricciardo has always made headlines on the track, as he showed the world in the past that he could compete at the highest level with other top drivers. Moreover, thanks to his great personality outside the cockpit, beyond the results achieved on track, his fame, due to his carefree attitude—much appreciated, especially by the U.S.-based ownership—made Daniel one of the key figures in F1. It’s rumored that the main sponsors of the Faenza team were not pleased with the “dismissal” of the 1989-born driver.
We are talking about Visa and Cash App, which, as part of their sponsorships in F1, saw Daniel as a media figure with great influence. Despite the pressure from several parties, Red Bull deemed Ricciardo’s time was up. Thus, the Italian team returned to being the team that trains future champions. The beneficiary was Liam Lawson, who will have the last six races of the season to earn his place among the twenty drivers on next season’s starting grid.
F1, Red Bull doesn’t bow to market logic
Once, they were called “pay drivers.” Those with a good memory or who love F1 history will hardly forget some individuals with amateur-level preparation but vast financial resources, who managed to “buy” a seat. They were the “mobile chicanes,” affectionately labeled by their colleagues. These drivers were so slow that they became dangerous and a hindrance in critical phases of races. Today, there are no more paying drivers, but there are drivers who bring lucrative sponsors, which are pure oxygen for low-tier teams’ finances.
And we’re not just talking about a lack of talent. A recent example is Carlos Sainz. When the partnership between the Spanish driver and the Maranello team ended, it was quickly followed by the end of the sponsorship with the financial institution Santander. Market dynamics have completely changed compared to the past, and managing a driver must necessarily take into account the revenue guaranteed by the driver’s sponsors. In this sense, Red Bull has finally decided to prioritize the sporting aspect over marketing in F1. When you think about it, it’s a paradox.
We say this because the two teams linked to the energy drink giant owe their existence in F1 precisely for marketing reasons. And we’re just at the beginning, as Red Bull will soon say goodbye to Sergio Perez. The Mexican driver got the opportunity of a lifetime by earning a call from the Milton Keynes team in 2021, after many years of hard work in mid-field teams, achieving notable results. The most prominent of which was the victory in Bahrain with Racing Point in 2020. His experience with the Austrian team has been marked by long periods of mediocre results.
Now in his fourth year with Christian Horner’s team, Sergio Perez is a shadow of the aggressive and consistent driver he was a few years ago. Thanks to the support of Carlos Slim and pressure from Liberty Media, Sergio Perez will remain at the wheel of the Red Bull number 11 at least until his home Grand Prix. These days, it’s rumored that Perez will announce his retirement from F1 during his home race. The world champion team’s management reportedly activated a termination clause before the summer break, based on the points gap between him and Max Verstappen.
Christian Horner gave his driver more time, but in the absence of significant results, he decided to pull the plug with all the consequences that come with it. Certainly, the substantial sponsorships brought in by the Mexican from Guadalajara will be missed. But finally, Red Bull has prioritized the sporting aspect, aware that it is making an unpopular decision among the Latin American fans, where Sergio Perez’s fame exceeds that of all the other drivers combined. After several years, Red Bull has returned to operating without bowing to the external pressures that had limited its decision-making freedom.
Leave a Reply