Source – Nine
With the arrival of new leadership this year, Daniel Ricciardo has talked well of the RB team’s improvement. However, the Australian has acknowledged that he “wouldn’t feel comfortable” if the group still felt like a “junior team”.
Daniel Ricciardo’s return to the Red Bull fold midway through the 2023 season marked a poignant moment in his illustrious Formula 1 career. Having started his journey with the then-called Toro Rosso outfit during the early days of his Formula 1 tenure in 2012 and 2013, Ricciardo has witnessed the team’s transformation firsthand. Over the years, what began as a junior team designed to develop young talent for the senior Red Bull squad has undergone significant changes, both in name and philosophy.
Since Ricciardo’s early days with Toro Rosso, the team has rebranded twice, shedding its image as merely a stepping stone for budding drivers. This transformation has been more than superficial; it has been a fundamental shift in how the team operates and perceives itself within the competitive landscape of Formula 1.
One of the most notable changes came at the end of 2023 when long-serving Team Principal Franz Tost decided to retire. This ushered in a new era of leadership with Laurent Mekies stepping in as the Team Principal for 2024, Peter Bayer assuming the role of CEO, Alan Permane becoming the Racing Director, and Tim Goss set to take over as Chief Technical Officer in October. This influx of new leadership brought with it fresh perspectives and strategies, fundamentally altering the team’s dynamics.
During the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Ricciardo shared his thoughts on these changes. “It does feel different,” he admitted. “I think it’s easy to kind of rebrand it and say we’ve got a new look and with this and that, but your actions have to follow.” Ricciardo praised the new leadership team, highlighting their ability to implement meaningful changes. “Laurent, Peter, Alan, a lot of guys that have come in have done that. It’s not that what was happening in the past with Franz wasn’t the right thing, but a change sometimes is good.”
The arrival of leaders who have spent time in other teams and organizations has brought new ideas and a fresh approach to Red Bull. “They’ve all spent time in other teams, organizations, and yeah, it’s just a new way of looking at things,” Ricciardo noted. This shift has been instrumental in moving the team away from its junior status. “I think that in itself and their intentions and the way they go about it has made people kind of stand up and say, alright, this isn’t a junior team anymore.”
Having been in Formula 1 for over a decade, Ricciardo has welcomed Red Bull’s evolution. The team’s commitment to making bold decisions and setting high targets resonates with his own ambitions. “We’re making, kind of, big boy decisions, and we’re taking risks and we’re setting targets and high targets, and ones that we realistically think that we can attain,” he explained. For Ricciardo, this transition is not just about rebranding but about a genuine shift in mindset and ambition.
Ricciardo’s candid reflections also highlight his personal growth and how it aligns with the team’s evolution. “I’m probably too, in a way, honest with myself that if it felt like a junior team still, I wouldn’t feel comfortable here. I’m 35 now. So, I think I would feel a bit out of place, and I certainly don’t, so I think that’s also a good way to probably comprehend it.”
As Red Bull continues to finalize its driver lineup for 2025, with Yuki Tsunoda confirmed to stay and Ricciardo’s future still uncertain, one thing is clear: the team’s rebranding and evolution are steps towards a more ambitious and competitive future. Ricciardo’s insights offer a glimpse into a team that is no longer content with being a training ground for future stars but is now poised to compete at the highest level with a renewed sense of purpose and direction.
