RED BULL AXES TICKTUM FROM JUNIOR SCHEME
Briton replaced by O’ward after Super Formula woes
Dan Ticktum has been dropped from the Red Bull young driver development programme and from his Team Mugen Super Formula seat for the rest of the season.
The Brit has struggled in Super Formula this year, taking a best finish of eighth in the first race of the season.
Ticktum is yet to make any official statement on the situation, other than responding to comments on social media that accused him of questioning whether Honda was providing equal equipment for him and his team-mate Tomoki Nojiri, which he said were unfounded.
Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko said: “At this level the demands are intense.
“Unfortunately Dan has not found the success in the Super Formula series that we hoped for.”
Ticktum has been linked to Red Bull for the majority of his car racing career, and it appeared last year that Red Bull was throwing its weight behind him for a Formula 1 seat, but a lack of superlicence points hindered his progress.
Ticktum’s vacated seat in Japan has already been filled by Mexican driver Patricio O’ward, who has been competing with British team Carlin in Indycar this year.
O’ward signed a deal with
Red Bull in May with the understanding that he would be making a run for an F1 seat in the future, and it looks likely that he will drop the remaining three races of his Indycar schedule to combine Super Formula with more Formula 2 outings.
“It [Super Formula] is a huge opportunity and I’m very excited about it,” said O’ward. “I know that it will be a big challenge.
“I do not know the tracks in Japan or the car but there is more track time in a race weekend I believe [than in F2].
“I know that culture and communications are different and the series is at a very high level so it is a fantastic chance for me to learn and progress.”
The 20-year-old made his F2 debut last weekend at the Red Bull Ring with MP Motorsport, and admitted to MN that he got an “ass whipping” as he finished last in the feature race. He took 14th in the sprint race, which he said was a “major, major leap forward”.