Home F1 Mekies: Summer break driver talk doesn’t mean Zandvoort change

Laurent Mekies, Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda — BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - JULY 18: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Visa Cash App RB, Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Visa Cash App RB and Laurent Mekies, Team Principal of Visa Cash App RB talk in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 18, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202407180214 // Usage for editorial use only //

Mekies: Summer break driver talk doesn’t mean Zandvoort change

18/08/2024

Laurent Mekies is in no rush to set Visa Cash App RB line-up for 2025 F1 season, noting that summer break discussions doesn’t mean Zandvoort change.

Heading into the summer break, there were all sorts of rumours about the Red Bull and Visa Cash App RB seats. The latter saw speculation about Daniel Ricciardo being replaced much earlier in the season, while the former has news about summer break change.

But neither happened. Just at the onset of the summer break, it was unofficially informed that Sergio Perez will stay back at Red Bull which meant Ricciardo would stay at Visa Cash App RB – at least for the remainder of the 2024 F1 season.

The situation, though, remains open for beyond. While Perez has a signed contract, Ricciardo doesn’t with the threat of Liam Lawson looming. Team boss Mekies affirms that even though future talks will happen in summer break, it won’t change for Zandvoort.

Whatever happens, it will be for 2025 F1 season. During the break, Red Bull’s Helmut Marko noted about a decision on Lawson to happen in September. “There have been a lot of speculations,” said Mekies. “But you know what? What we kept saying is, look, guys, we spent the best part of the first part of the season just to get the car better, just to give a better car to Daniel and Yuki.

“And we have always said there is, from a team perspective, there is no rush. As much as there is excitement out there, there is no rush in choosing the drivers for next year. Now, equally, we are getting to the middle part of the seasons. Yes, it’s been very public.

“I think we’ve made it very public that we will sit down in the summer break in order to discuss the drivers’ futures. It doesn’t mean that there is necessarily a change in Zandvoort, but it’s only fair that halfway through the season we sit down and we look at what’s the best way to move forward,” summed up Mekies.

Here’s Helmut Marko on no role of Liberty Media in Sergio Perez decision

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Here’s Yuki Tsunoda on Haas pressure

Here’s Daniel Ricciardo on the car’s weakness

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