Red Bull prioritising F1 engine decision over new Ricciardo deal 

Red Bull’s decision over which Formula 1 engine it will use from 2019 is taking priority over trying to secure Daniel Ricciardo’s position at the team.

Ricciardo is currently evaluating his F1 future as he looks to challenge for world titles, with his contract with Red Bull set to expire at the end of the current campaign. The Australian dominated the Monaco Grand Prix weekend as he claimed the seventh victory of his F1 career, which has received Red Bull backing throughout. 

Red Bull has set Ricciardo with an August deadline to decide upon his future before the team will actively begin assessing alternatives, with the Milton Keynes-based squad also currently undergoing talks with Honda as it nears a decision as to whether it will extend or ditch its long-term relationship with engine supplier Renault into 2019. 

“You could say that [his win in Monaco] has made Daniel more expensive and put his value up, or it’s made the team in a stronger position in terms of its value and potential to him,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said.

“The reality is finding a solution to conclude a deal with Daniel in the next couple of months. The first thing is to get the engine sorted and then very much follow on from there with the driver.”

Horner added he believes Ricciardo is showing signs of being a “complete” driver after drawing level with championship leader Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel on two wins each from the opening six rounds of 2018. 

Red Bull’s engine decision is expected to prove a significant factor in Ricciardo’s negotiations, with the team growing frustrated with Renault’s performance and reliability compared to Mercedes and Ferrari during the current V6 hybrid era, following four years of dominance under the French manufacturer’s power between 2010 and 2013. 

A switch to Honda would be considered a gamble, with the Japanese engine manufacturer currently in the process of rebuilding its reputation in F1 with Toro Rosso this season, following a torrid three-year spell with McLaren after returning to the sport in 2015. 

Honda is set to introduce its first performance upgrade of the season at next weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, while Renault will also bring power unit updates to Montreal as it seeks to close the gap to rivals Mercedes and Ferrari. 

“We are about a month or so away [from making a decision],” Horner explained. “End of June, beginning of July is the timescale we have always talked about. We’re waiting with great interest to see the relative performance of the two engines in Montreal.”