It was already announced he will be getting a new tub for China . I think the team is giving him everything to succeed . On the flip side if he doesn't then he will probably be let go . He is a character and adds charisma to the paddock . But you are paid for points and finishes . So far he is delivering neither .

I wonder how does a guy (Ricciardo) hop into a Red Bull (senior team) car last year and lap within a whisker of Max, and then this year can't seem to find his way beyond the Kick Saubers and Alpines (albeit in a Red Bull Jr car)? That seems puzzling.

Danny would likely be the first to say it’s really all about the car.

History would prove him mostly correct.

Sargeant doing better
 

I was surprised he didn't get a penalty for backing out of the gravel unto the track.
Good for him.

I was surprised he got out of the gravel! Car was dusty and luckily not wrecked.

RB is crazy if they don't pull Danny Ric and put Lawson in

Lap up to tenth place and be 12 seconds ahead of your team mate in the “same car”, sure he’s a good driver but come on…

Thinking out loud... Mercedes won for most of a decade and cannot seem to get their act together for 3 years in a row now... I am not sure that Audi with no prior experience in F1, using most of Sauber (a perennial midfielder), will get their act together anytime fast enough for Sainz to shine. He is hot now - F1 is short memory stuff - get in a nicer car. If not Redbull, then the odds are better at Aston who seem to want to replace Alonso (maybe he's been mean to Sonny Stroll by embarrassing him). They are also trying to get Newey. I hope Fred beats them to that, a Ferrari championship would be good for the sport.

Agreed on Ricciardo - though they said the new tub is a happy coincidence and a planned replacement. IMO if Danny Ric is behind Yuki in China, Liam is in for the rest of the year. Maybe RIC can replace Sargent, LOL
What I'd pay money to see is ALO in a Redbull vs MAX. I think Max would win initially, but after a few months it'd be fireworks !

Mercedes was a simply better car for 8 years. It was in in a different level and made all the drivers look good. Hamilton is just an also ran now. And moving to Ferrari might get him further up the field. We will have to wait and see.

I wouldn't underestimate the motorsports prowess of Audi . They engineered/designed/built a diesel prototype sportscar that blew away the competition . No one could touch them for quite a while . I do NOT think they will have immediate success in F1 but I know they can figure out how to mistake proof single center lug nuts :D

Who will be able to better the aero alchemist, Newey?

I think Newey is a once in a lifetime type of mind . His engineering skills are unmatched, he is an aero whisperer. Having said that he doesn't do it alone and is surrounded by other talented engineers . He can be beat , Red Bull can be beat and Max can be beat . But it will take 100 % A game effort to do so .

Max is on another level compared to Perez. The only way you know just how good Perez or Max is if you put Alonso in Perez’s car. In China and next 5 races.

They were crazy for re-hiring him in the first place.
He is still there because they are too embarrassed
to admit to that mistake.

In other news Mario and Michael attended the grand opening of their F1 facility in Silverstone . Even though F1 shot down their initial entry effort they are plowing forward . They must have substantial financial $$$ backing . They continue to hire people and build the team and infrastructure .

Andretti opens a UK F1 facility, now officially news, as it's been covert for more a year or two

https://www.pitpass.com/77416/Andretti-opens-new-facility-at-Silverstone

Also in other news

https://www.pitpass.com/77311/Honda-Racing-establishes-new-F1-base-in-UK

Andretti, Redbull, Honda, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Alpine, Williams, Hass and Alpha Tauri either have there full team or a significant part of their team here

It's not only restricted to F1, Dacia are here for Dakar, the Indians for Formula E and Singer are here to build their Singer DLS and Turbo creations

Not many years ago, both Mistsubishi and Subaru were here to build their WRC cars and Bahrain to build their Dakar T1 entry

Aston Martin and Redbull both are working on hyper cars, Aston Martin F1 are working on LeMans 24hrs hyper car

It's not only cars Alinghi and Ben Ainsley Racing are also here for the design of their America's Cup boats, KTM for their Moto GP aerodynamics

Must be some very compelling reasons why the French Italians, Germans, Austrians, Japanese, Romanians, Swiss and Americans go to all the expense of setting up bases here

It's the weather - So miserable all you wanna do is work work work and get sent to foreign GPs ;-) Sorry could not resist (clearly there's a lot of automotive brains in the area).

So if Andretti have this new facility it's unlikely they are still trying to buy Alpine (Enstone).

Andretti planning on F2/F3 entries to be based out of their new facility . To eventually lead to a F1 entry .

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/andretti-planning-f2-f3-entries-promote-us-talent-f1-team/10597215/

To be close to the Captain! (Ahab that is--not Penske.) 😉