Ricciardo joined AlphaTauri midway through the 2023 season and was retained at the team, now known as RB, for 2024.

The Australian had returned to Red Bull Racing as third driver following an unsuccessful tenure with McLaren.

Both McLaren and Ricciardo agreed to terminate that relationship a year early and left the eight-time grand prix winner on the sidelines last year.

He did, however, hold a contract with Red Bull Racing, a deal signed on the Sunday morning of the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

After working in the Milton Keynes simulator, and an impressive performance at a Pirelli tyre test, he was drafted into AlphaTauri in place of Nyck de Vries for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

“He’s a Red Bull Racing driver on loan to AlphaTauri. as all the drivers are there,” Christian Horner said in Singapore last year.

His comments related specifically to Liam Lawson, though apply equally to Ricciardo and tally with remarks made by Marko.

According to F1-Insider, the publication that first reported Horner was facing allegations of improper conduct, the 34-year-old still has a deal with Red Bull Racing.

“Ricciardo still has a long-term contract and is not available,” the German publication reported Marko as stating.

Those comments come as the 2025 silly season heats up courtesy of Lewis Hamilton’s shock switch to Ferrari.

Following last year’s Singapore Grand Prix, Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda were confirmed at AlphaTauri (now RB) for another season.

That created the impression that the Australian only held a one-year deal and was therefore on the market for next season.

Ricciardo has been one of a number of drivers linked with a move, along with Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz, Esteban Ocon, and even Sebastian Vettel.

If Marko’s comments are to be believed, and there is no reason to doubt them, it’s unlikely that the contract with Ricciardo guarantees promotion to Red Bull Racing for 2025.

While Sergio Perez is in the final year of his current contract and under pressure to perform alongside Max Verstappen, a strong performance could equally see the Mexican’s deal extended.

That wouldn’t necessarily mean the end of the road for Ricciardo, however.

Contracts in F1 are famously negotiable, so while a deal is in place it’s unlikely it would prohibit Ricciardo from taking a race drive elsewhere should Red Bull Racing have nothing to offer him.