Daniel Ricciardo may make a shock return to the F1 grid inside weeks – as Aussie star guidelines out staying in his present position as Pink Bull’s reserve driver
- Ricciardo signed with Pink Bull in 2022
- Additionally signed with AlphaTauri by default
- Might rating a drive with Italian crew
Aussie Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo might be set to return to the grid this season with AlphaTauri poised to sack their struggling rookie driver Nyck de Vries.
Pink Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko has reportedly given de Vries an ultimatum to enhance his efficiency by June or get replaced.
Ricciardo, who’s the third driver for each Pink Bull Racing and AlphaTauri, is being thought-about as a attainable alternative for the 28-year-old Dutchman.
If the transfer materialises, it could see the Australian driver return to AlphaTauri, the place he beforehand raced for 2 seasons in 2012 and 2013 earlier than transferring to Pink Bull Racing.
Including to the hypothesis is the truth that Ricciado has already lately been fitted for a seat within the AlphaTauri automobile. This was completed to make sure Ricciardo could be obtainable at a second’s discover ought to there be a difficulty with a driver.
Pink Bull has one other reserve driver in Liam Lawson, however he can be unavailable for the following two races due to his commitments in Japanese Tremendous Formulation.
It comes after Pink Bull crew boss Christian Horner mentioned on the Australian GP that Ricciardo was 10 minutes away from being able to compete in F1 once more.
Ricciardo may make a sooner-than-expected return to the F1 grid with Pink Bull-owned AlphaTauri doubtlessly elevating the Aussie driver this June
Ricciardo’s rapid future is determined by the type of rookie AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries, who has been given an ultimatum to carry out or perish
Ricciardo joined Pink Bull as a reserve driver this 12 months after a messy divorce from McLaren, which means he additionally signed up as a reserve driver for AlphaTauri.
In the meantime, the Aussie has offered a timeline for when he’ll get behind the wheel of Pink Bull’s dominant RB19 automobile, because the Australian dominated out the prospect of being the crew’s third driver for the long run.
The 33-year-old stepped away from the F1 grid on the finish of final season following a depressing marketing campaign with McLaren which noticed him changed by fellow Australian Oscar Piastri.
A return to Pink Bull quickly adopted, the place Ricciardo has been compelled to observe from afar as Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez go toe-to-toe for the world championship.
However as a part of his position as third driver, Ricciardo will get a run behind the wheel of Pink Bull’s automobile this 12 months, and revealed that he’s resulting from hit the observe after the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
‘I have been within the simulator, however I’ll drive the RB19 [for the first time] in July after the Silverstone race,’ the eight-time grand prix winner advised ESPN.
‘Then possibly I will get one other one after Monza as effectively in September.’
Ricciardo took up a place as a reserve driver with Pink Bull this season however he hasn’t but had a run within the all-conquering RB19
That’s all resulting from change on the Silverstone Grand Prix – offered he is not racing for Alpha Tauri by then
‘I am actually excited to drive a quick automobile, but additionally a automobile that possibly nonetheless feels acquainted to me – it does just a little bit within the sim. However I am simply excited to drive once more and to simply attempt to remind a crew clearly I as soon as had quite a lot of success with that I can nonetheless flip a quick lap,’ he continued.
The 33-year-old added that he has ‘unfinished enterprise’ in F1 and is planning to make an instantaneous return to the grid.
‘I am undoubtedly nonetheless in a very good place – I am very proud of this,’ he mentioned of his 2023 reserve driver position.
‘Does it imply that I am joyful doing this for the following two or three years? Most likely not. However I feel for this 12 months it is actually an excellent factor for me.
‘Proper now, I do need to get again on the grid subsequent 12 months. I do really feel like there is definitely some unfinished enterprise. I am staying within the loop and staying ready and no matter.’
