On Tuesday, it was announced that Daniel Ricciardo will be driving for AlphaTauri for the remainder of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship. Ricciardo, a multiple race winner, is currently a reserve driver for Red Bull and is considered to be “on loan” to AlphaTauri from the team. This news comes shortly after Ricciardo participated in a Pirelli tire test at Silverstone, where he drove the current Red Bull RB19.
Ricciardo has a history with the Red Bull Racing feeder team, previously known as Toro Rosso. He drove for Toro Rosso in 2012 and 2013 before being promoted to the Red Bull team for the 2014 season. During his time with Red Bull, Ricciardo secured seven wins before making the move to Renault (now Alpine) for the 2019 season. After two seasons with the French team, he joined McLaren for the 2021 season.
Although Ricciardo did achieve an eighth victory with McLaren, he struggled with the team and his contract was terminated one year early, leaving him without a race seat at the end of the 2022 season. As a result, he returned to Red Bull as a reserve driver while McLaren signed Oscar Piastri as his replacement.
Nyck De Vries, the current driver for AlphaTauri, will be replaced by Ricciardo. De Vries, a promising rookie, has not made significant progress this season and has failed to score any points. He is being replaced after just 10 races. De Vries previously had a one-off drive for Williams in 2022, where he managed a ninth-place finish. He is also a Formula E champion.
The upcoming race on the Formula 1 calendar is the Hungarian Grand Prix, and Ricciardo will join AlphaTauri to compete in this event. He will be partnering with Yuki Tsunoda, who has scored the team’s only two points so far this season. AlphaTauri is currently at the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship standings, and the addition of Ricciardo is expected to bring valuable experience and potentially help improve the team’s performance.
Daniel Ricciardo’s talents as a driver and his previous success in Formula 1 make him a strong addition to the AlphaTauri team. With his experience and race-winning abilities, he has the potential to make a significant impact on the team’s performance for the remainder of the 2023 season. His partnership with Yuki Tsunoda will also provide an opportunity for both drivers to learn from each other and work together to contribute to the team’s success.
The Formula 1 community will be eagerly watching Ricciardo’s performance in his new role with AlphaTauri. His fans hope to see him back on the podium and competing at the highest level in the sport. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how Ricciardo adapts to his new team and if he can help AlphaTauri climb up the Constructors’ Championship standings.
Overall, the announcement of Daniel Ricciardo joining AlphaTauri for the rest of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship brings excitement and anticipation. It presents an opportunity for Ricciardo to demonstrate his skills and make a positive impact on the team’s performance. With his experience and previous success in the sport, fans have high hopes for his partnership with Yuki Tsunoda and expect to see a strong performance from the AlphaTauri team in the upcoming races.