Ricciardo has raced twice since tꦫaking N🐼yck de Vries’ spot at AlphaTauri but is initially only contracted until the end of this season.

The veteran A🌺ustralian has been clear tha🎃t his ultimate goal is to win the 2025 seat at Red Bull, AlphaTauri’s sister team.

"Of course you have to know from Daniel Ricciardo what his... we know his goals, but how to achieve them, whether he is ready to complete a full year next year at AlphaTauri with full commitme🎐nt," Red Bull motorsport director Helmut Marko told .

"The change has had a very positive effect, in terms of mood and motivation in the AlphaTaℱu🐲ri team.

"While De Vries' deficit averaged three to five tenths, if you clean it all up, Ricciardo is significantly smal𝓡ler, if not on par with Yuki Tsunoda.

"We still have nine races left, in these nine ra🌠ces we will see how this develops.

“Tsunoda delivered a very good race at Spa, maybe in the middle sector when it rained lightly, he was a bit too cautious, maybe even😼 a better position would have been possible. 

“Daniel was🔥n't far from points🦩 in the sprint. This direction fits.”

However, Ricciardo must st✃ill💖 earn his position in the F1 2024 driver line-up. 

"We have alternatives,” M꧋arko de🌠livered a reminder. 

“For example [Liam] Lawson, who is second in Japan and is very successful there and has made a big leap forward in hisꦯ whole development since 🎃he has been racing in Japan.”

Marko added about Ricciardo’s teammate: "Yuki Tsunoda has steadily improved in and of himself, h🔯as his emotions under cꦦontrol for the most part, is now also physically capable of driving through a GP.”

The driver undꦛer the most pressure migh🦋t still be Sergio Perez who has been backed to keep his 2024 Red Bull seat, but knows that Ricciardo is breathing down his neck.