Daniel Ricciardo Set to Make Surprise Formula 1 Comeback with AlphaTauri
In a shocking turn of events, Daniel Ricciardo is set to make an unexpected return to Formula 1 with AlphaTauri starting from next week’s Hungarian Grand Prix. The Australian driver will be replacing the ousted Nyck de Vries, who was dismissed after a disappointing start to his F1 career with the Italian squad.
AlphaTauri has confirmed De Vries’ departure and announced that Ricciardo will be stepping into his seat for the remainder of the 2023 season. In a statement, the team expressed their excitement about welcoming Ricciardo back into the fold.
Team boss Franz Tost said, “There’s no doubt about his driving skills, and he already knows many of us, so his integration will be easy and straightforward. The team will also profit a lot from his experience, as he is an eight-time Formula 1 grand prix winner.”
Ricciardo, who returned to the Red Bull family as a third driver after losing his McLaren drive last year, has been keeping race ready and completed his first test with the Red Bull RB19 on Tuesday. The 34-year-old driver will now have the opportunity to prove himself with 12 races at AlphaTauri.
This comeback could potentially pave the way for Ricciardo to challenge Sergio Perez for a seat alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull. Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, expressed his excitement about Ricciardo’s performance during the tire test and is looking forward to seeing what the rest of the season holds for him at AlphaTauri.
Ricciardo previously drove for AlphaTauri when it was known as Toro Rosso in 2012 and 2013 before earning a promotion to Red Bull’s main team. He achieved seven of his eight F1 wins with Red Bull alongside Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen before moving on to Renault and then McLaren.
Meanwhile, De Vries, alongside fellow rookie Logan Sargeant, had struggled to register points in the 2023 season and was struggling to keep up with his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. The underperformance of AlphaTauri’s AT04 also added to their challenges, leaving the team last in the constructors’ championship with just two points after 10 races.
Red Bull’s driver advisor Helmut Marko had been losing patience with De Vries, leading to the decision to replace him after just 10 races. Although De Vries’ F1 career with AlphaTauri has come to an early end, the team thanked him for his valuable contribution and wished him all the best for the future.
With Ricciardo’s surprise comeback, the F1 season is set to become even more exciting as fans eagerly watch his performance alongside the AlphaTauri team and anticipate what this means for his future in the sport.