F1
Daniel Ricciardo returns to racing in Formula 1. The Australian will represent Oracle Red Bull Racings' sister F1 team Scuderia AlphaTauri in the upcoming Hungarian GP and for the rest of the season.
F1 winner Daniel Ricciardo confirms a return to Oracle Red Bull Racing in the 2023 season!
01
Full circle
It's been an interesting ride for the Australian driver since his debut in F1 way back in 2012. His first time behind the wheel of an F1 car was in 2011 when he represented the Scuderia Toro Rosso team (now Scuderia AlphaTauri).
He joined Toro Rosso in 2012 full-time after the team changed its driver lineup and drove a Ferrari-powered car for them in 2012 and 2013.
Come the 2014 season he joined Oracle Red Bull Racing, where over the course of five years he won a number of podium finishes and several victories, including a dream top spot in Monaco in 2018.
In the 2019 season, "Ricci" joined forces with Renault, and after two years, moved to McLaren. In that time, he had only three podium finishes, including one win and wasn't sure of his direction moving forward.
In a surprise to many, he returned to Oracle Red Bull Racing as a reserve driver in 2023 but spent much of the start of the year watching his teammates Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez taking podium finishes.
As a treat for local fans, he appeared trackside at the Melbourne Grand Prix in March donning Oracle Red Bull Racing kit. Off the track, he confirmed his celebrity status with fans flocking to the Red Bull Energy Station for a chance to mingle with the bigger-than-life character.
Eyebrows were further raised when he was invited to Pirelli's two-day tyre test at the Silverstone track in July where he would be piloting the current RB19 F1 car.
In the lead up Ricciardo shared his excitement for the opportunity;
“I’m certainly excited to drive a fast car, but also a car that maybe still feels familiar for me – it does a little bit in the sim. But I’m just excited to drive again and to just try to remind a team obviously I once had a lot of success with that I can still turn a fast lap.”
While a bit dry on paper the tests are an important part of the racing season with the tyre manufacturer looking at the results of various compounds on the track and the ability to run without tyre warmers leading into races. These are crucial to initial and average speeds and lap times on the track.
With some impressive time around the circuit during testing as well as logging countless sim racing hours, it was announced that he'd be driving at the upcoming round of the Hungarian Grand Prix where he will be loaned to Oracle Red Bull F1 sister team Scuderia AlphaTauri.
Ricciardo will compete in the colours of his former team until the end of the 2023 season, with Yuki Tsunoda as his teammate.
He replaces Oracle Red Bull Racing rookie Nyck de Vries, who has unfortunately not finished in the Top 10 since the beginning of this year's competition.
I am delighted to be back on track with the Red Bull family!
02
How long has Daniel Ricciardo been off the track?
It's been a testing few years for Daniel Ricciardo having moved around several teams without convincing results.
His last consistent run behind the wheel was with team McLaren for two seasons in 2021/22 where he was unable to convert races into wins. He was given the option of resigning from the team and breaking his contract early which he took up.
This gave him time to reconnect with family and friends but can also be a precarious time for a driver without a solid run of results on the track with fewer opportunities moving forward.
The break from McLaren of course kicked off the rumour mill with talks of the Perth native making the move to any number of high-level F1 teams including Ferrari, Mercedes, and even back in the hot seat at Oracle Red Bull.
There was even talks of a jump overseas and trying his hand at different races series or leveraging his fan favourite status as a race commentator.
In the end, he's come full circle moving back to his debut team Scuderia Alphatauri for the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 23rd and the remaining 2023 season with eyes on a vacant seat at Oracle Red Bull Racing in 2024 or 2025.
03
A warm welcome by an old friend
"I am delighted to welcome Daniel back to the team," said Scuderia Alpha Tauri team boss Franz Tost. "His skills are beyond question and he knows many of us, so it will be very easy to integrate him. The team will also benefit from his experience as he has won eight races in F1."
Red Bull principal Christian Horner said "It is great to see Daniel hasn't lost any form while away from racing and that the strides he has been making in Sim [simulator] sessions translate on track."
Adding "His times during the tyre test were extremely competitive. It was a very impressive drive and we are excited to see what the rest of the season brings for Daniel on loan at Scuderia AlphaTauri."
This warm and positive reception from his former and current team should only bolster his comfort and trust.
04
Whats to come?
We will always remain optimistic but there is an inherent pressure on Ricciardo to deliver. His previous seasons weren't overly consistent, he's taken some time off and now, finds himself in an F1 car 'under' the main Oracle Red Bull Racing team.
Recent performances have shown he's still competitive and by his own remarks, feels recharged and ready to go.
This sets up the Hungarian GP, and the rest of the season as one to watch with Max Verstappen, Sergio Pérez, Yuki Tsunoda, and now Daniel Ricciardo lining up on the grid all vying for podium finishes.
Have you watched Daniel Ricciardo drive his F1 car through the Australian outback yet?
