F1 Breaking: Daniel Ricciardo Confirmed To Be Replacing Nyck de Vries Immediately
Daniel Ricciardo, the Australian F1 sensation, is storming back into the sport replacing Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri, it's been confirmed. The public's favourite race car driver is finally ending his sabbatical, eager to reclaim his glory days after a challenging stint at McLaren. Notably, this homecoming marks Ricciardo's return to Red Bull, where he first started his journey and found great success.
The much-loved Aussie is making a triumphant return to the world of Formula 1. AlphaTauri, in a recent announcement, confirmed that he's coming on board, filling the void left by the recently dismissed Nyck de Vries after poor performance.
Once a crowd favourite, Ricciardo had opted for a hiatus after enduring a rocky period with McLaren. Choosing to hang up his racing gloves for some time, the Australian held onto hope for a fresh break in his career as a reserve driver in Red Bull. At McLaren, the journey was tough for the eight-time race winner. He was regularly upstaged by his teammate, Lando Norris, which took a toll on his usually vibrant disposition.
Interestingly, Ricciardo is making his return to the very roots of his racing career, at Red Bull in their sister team. In his role as a test and reserve driver, he rediscovered his passion for the sport and proved to be a significant asset in the simulator. During his tenure at the Milton Keyes outfit, he celebrated seven triumphant wins before he moved to Renault. It's worth mentioning that before partnering with Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull, Ricciardo was a part of their sister team, Toro Rosso - a team to which he is returning now after its rebrand to AlphaTauri.
Speculations have been swirling, sparked by a piece in De Telegraaf, that suggested Ricciardo's comeback with AlphaTauri could pave the way for a potential return to Red Bull. If Ricciardo, at 34, could recapture his past magic, he might be in the running for a spot in the Austrian racing team's future plans. However, he has a challenge at hand - proving he's quicker than the young talent, Yuki Tsunoda. Notably, this situation could also ramp up the pressure on Red Bull's Sergio Perez, who has been struggling of late, failing to qualify for Q3 in the past five consecutive races.
Worthy of note: his tyre testing today at the Silverstone circuit showed lap times from the driver that would have put him on the front row on Sunday. Food for thought.