Daniel Ricciardo eyeing ‘something bigger’ with Sergio Perez’s Red Bull F1 seat in doubt

The Australian fan-favourite driver has been mooted as a replacement for Perez at Red Bull

Daniel Ricciardo is targeting a strong showing in the final two races before the summer break with an eye on “something bigger” amid speculation over Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat.

Fan-favourite Australian driver Ricciardo has picked up 11 points so far this season compared to 20 from RB team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, though has improved in recent weeks.

Yet amid Perez’s dramatic downturn in form in recent weeks – he finished the last race at Silverstone in 17^th – both Ricciardo and Tsunoda are eyeing a promotion to the Red Bull mothership to partner Max Verstappen.

Ricciardo, when asked about it, insisted he was only focusing on the next two races – in Hungary and Belgium – before the summer break and hinted an impressive showing could mean a shock call-up to Red Bull.

“I am aware that these two weekends are probably the most important of the season,” Ricciardo told RacingNews365, ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

“If you head into the break with some good momentum and positivity it can help, but whether that means retaining my seat here or maybe something bigger, who knows?

“Even if I am not stoked so far on my season as a whole, I can’t look back now. That is done.

“I have two races to kick some arse and that is where my energy is right now. And if I do what I know I can, then maybe good things will happen.”

Daniel Ricciardo is targeting Sergio Perez’s seat at Red Bull (Getty Images)

Perez, meanwhile, admits he is looking to return to his form at the beginning of the season. The Mexican has not been on the podium since Shanghai in April.

“It’s another two races for us that we want to get back to our platform,” he said. “That’s a main priority for me and for the team.

“I was back in the factory over the week and there is the main priority for us really to get back to the form we had a couple of races ago.

“It’s difficult to shut down the external noise but at the end of the day, I come here to give my very best, my maximum effort.”