With Max Verstappen teetering on the brink of a race ban, speculation is mounting over who could replace the reigning world champion should he be forced to miss a Grand Prix. And in a twist that has piqued the interest of Formula One fans worldwide, Daniel Ricciardo has been floated as a shock candidate for a temporary Red Bull return.
Verstappen incurred three penalty points for his deliberate collision with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix, a move that also earned him a 10-second penalty and saw him demoted from fifth to tenth. The Dutchman now sits on 11 penalty points in a rolling 12-month window—just one short of the automatic 12-point threshold that would trigger a race ban.
Crucially, two of those points—acquired during the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix—are set to expire at the end of June. That would reduce Verstappen’s tally to nine ahead of the British Grand Prix in July. But with the Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix still to come this month, Red Bull are undoubtedly assessing their contingency plans in the event Verstappen picks up another infraction.
Several names are in contention should Verstappen be sidelined. Youngsters Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson—both currently in Red Bull’s junior team, Racing Bulls—are natural candidates. Hadjar has impressed this season, while Lawson, though recently dropped following a difficult stint, remains part of Red Bull’s plans. Fellow Red Bull Academy drivers Ayumu Iwasa and Arvid Lindblad are also possibilities, though their lack of F1 experience could weigh against them.
But given the high stakes of stepping into Verstappen’s car, team principal Christian Horner and Red Bull’s senior leadership may prefer to call upon someone with proven pedigree—hence the surprising return of Ricciardo to the conversation.
The Australian, now 35, was axed from the Racing Bulls team earlier this year in favour of Lawson after struggling to find form. However, Ricciardo remains a popular figure in the paddock and retains a strong relationship with Horner, who brought him back into the Red Bull fold in late 2023.
As F1 journalist Mark Mann-Bryans noted: “The Australian is a favourite of Horner, who brought him back into the fold towards the end of 2023 with the then-AlphaTauri marque before taking the tough decision to drop him in favour of Lawson part-way through 2024. Bringing Ricciardo back, even for a one-off race, would be a decision welcomed by plenty of fans.”
Despite the enthusiasm from fans, Ricciardo has distanced himself from the sport since his mid-season exit and may need some convincing to return, even temporarily. Sergio Perez, another former Red Bull driver with recent experience, is also seen as a potential stand-in, though his own performance concerns have muddied his status within the team.
For now, Verstappen’s fate lies in his own hands. If he can keep his nose clean in Canada and Austria, he’ll likely escape a ban altogether. But should he slip up again, the door could open to an unexpected and dramatic reshuffling within Red Bull—potentially reigniting one of F1’s most beloved comebacks.