Australian Daniel Ricciardo faces a high-stakes game of stick or twist for 2017.
Ricciardo is currently in his third year with Red Bull Racing and looks set to continue with the Austrian team for next year and beyond, however, the temptation of Ferrari may be too strong to resist.
In 2014, to the whole world’s surprise, Ricciardo comfortably beat four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and established himself as one of Formula One’s finest rising stars.
However, Ricciardo’s relationship with Red Bull has since hit a number of rough patches.
Last year, the 26-year-old was out-scored by young Russian Daniil Kvyat and his season was marred by numerous power unit-related issues. All of which caused the three-time Grand Prix winner major frustration.
In 2016, Red Bull and bad fortune have already cost Ricciardo a number of podiums and even a chance to claim his first victory since the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix.
In China, Ricciardo received a puncture while leading and at the Russian Grand Prix, he received damage when Vettel was flung into him when the German was hit by Kvyat, in what would be his last race with the team.
The bad luck continued at the Spanish Grand Prix when Ricciardo’s new teammate Max Verstappen won on his debut. Ricciardo’s inferior three stop strategy arguably costing him the race win.
His frustration reached fever pitch in Monaco when a slow pit-stop ruined what had been an inspirational drive in adverse conditions around the toughest race track in the world.
The arrival of Verstappen has clearly unsettled Ricciardo and although he has out-qualified the Dutchman at the three races they’ve been together, the 18-year-old has outscored Ricciardo over the same number of Grand Prix.
The Dutchman will only get better and Red Bull will do everything they can to keep him. He’s eight years younger than the 26-year-old and his ever-growing talent has to be a concern for Ricciardo.
The Australian is going to have to give everything he’s got and more to remain Red Bull’s number one driver over the next few years.
In a couple of years time, if Verstappen does live up to his full potential and praise handed to him by a number of high-profile Formula One legends, the only way to beat him may be to have a superior car.
The only way Ricciardo can have that is by switching teams and seen as Verstappen won’t go to the most famous team in Formula One maybe Ricciardo should.
Despite the disappointing start to the season, many people in the paddock still believe Ferrari are on the cusp of recreating the dominance shown at the start of the century.
They’re clearly making strides with their Power Unit as shown by Vettel’s second place at last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.
With James Allison aboard and a number of talented designers Ferrari should provide a great challenge to Mercedes on the aerodynamic side.
However, nobody is better at producing championship winning aerodynamics than Red Bull Racing and with Formula One moving more towards advanced aerodynamics from 2017 onwards, Red Bull may very well be the best place to be in 2017.
Furthermore, Ricciardo would face an equally tough teammate in Sebastian Vettel who is very much Ferrari’s leading driver at the moment.
Although Ricciardo did beat him in 2014 he would be up against a different Sebastian Vettel next year, a much more motivated comfortable and resilient driver.
Moreover, Ferrari isn’t exactly well known for giving their second drivers an equal chance of competing with the number one driver as drivers such as Felipe Massa and Rubens Barrichello have learnt the hard way.
To conclude, joining Ferrari may be an attractive prospect and a childhood dream for Ricciardo, but ultimately if Renault’s continued progress with their power unit and Red Bull’s ability to produce the best aerodynamic package make it the better destination for Ricciardo for 2017 and beyond.
F1 is set up for some mouthwatering teammate battles next season and Ricciardo faces a very tough challenge beating former champion Vettel at Ferrari or future world champion Verstappen at Red Bull.
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