25/08/2013
NEWS STORY
Mat Coch writes:
Daniel Ricciardo is set to join Red Bull for 2014 according to the sports-car bound Mark Webber. If true it means Ricciardo will have beaten the likes of Kimi Raikkonen for one of the most desirable seats in Formula One.
"The decision is made," Webber told Channel 10 in Australia. "We all know who it is. I'm happy with that decision. It's good for him and it's good for Australia."
Webber's comments reinforce those made by Sebastian Vettel on Thursday, the German claiming Raikkonen was out of the running for the vacant Red Bull drive. "It's not going to happen," said the world champion. "It would have been nice in a way. I get along very well with Kimi."
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has played it cool throughout the weekend when speaking to the media, refusing to confirm where driver discussions were up to despite widespread speculation that Ricciardo has been signed. Ricciardo himself also refused to confirm whether a deal has been agreed, despite both Webber and Vettel suggesting it has.
"Until it's a done deal and I've been given the nod and it's all settled I'm not going to get excited," Ricciardo said on Saturday. "Kimi could well still be in contention along with a few other guys. If it gets done then I'll get excited for a little but then I'll have a pretty big task ahead for the following season."
The identity of Sebastian Vettel's teammate has been hotly debated in recent weeks after Webber announced his decision to join Porsche in sports car racing next year. Ricciardo and Raikkonen were closely linked to the drive, while Jean-Eric Vergne was in the early running.
The appointment of Ricciardo, if it is true, does seem the only logical decision for Red Bull. Having invested heavily in its driver development programme it would be a slap in the face had either Ricciardo or Vergne not been promoted.
Ricciardo's move also paves the way for another Red Bull junior to be promoted, likely to be Antonio Felix Da Costa or Carlos Sainz Jnr. Daniel Kvyat, another Red Bull junior driver, won the GP3 feature race over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.
With the Red Bull seat now apparently settled the key to the driver market moves from Christian Horner on to Kimi Raikkonen, who looks to have a choice between Lotus and Ferrari for 2014.