Red Bull rules out Ticktum Formula 2 move in place of banned driver
Red Bull has confirmed Formula 1 hopeful Dan Ticktum will not replace the banned Santino Ferrucci at Trident Racing in Formula 2
Ticktum has been earmarked as a possible replacement for Brendon Hartley at Toro Rosso in F1 next season, but even if Ticktum wins the European Formula 3 Championship he won't earn enough superlicense points to enter F1.
A retrospective change to the FIA's superlicense criteria would be needed to grant Ticktum enough points to graduate to F1 next season, and even a successful partial campaign in F2 would be unlikely to yield enough points to make up the difference regardless.
Ferrucci is banned for the Hungary and Spa rounds of F2 after crashing into his team-mate Arjun Maini on the cool down lap after the Silverstone sprint race, and was dropped by Trident earlier this week.
On seeing this news, reigning McLaren Autosport BRDC Award winner and Macau Grand Prix victor Ticktum believed he may eventually be placed in F2.
"As soon as I saw Ferrucci wouldn't be at Trident any more, it came to mind that I could do a few races," Ticktum told Autosport. "But we'll see. There's been nothing from Red Bull.
"If Helmut [Marko, Red Bull motorsports advisor] wants me to do it, he'll just phone me up and tell me to do it and I will.
"I wouldn't be nervous or worried to do it, I would enjoy doing it."
But Marko quashed the rumours and confirmed Ticktum, 19, is expected to focus on F3.
When asked if Ticktum would race in F2 this season, Marko said: "No. He now has to deliver constant performances in F3.
"He will make the step to F1 only if he delivers a mature performance first."
Ticktum is 13 points off the European F3 championship lead after four rounds, taking two wins with Motopark while struggling to get his car off the startline consistently.
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