F1 News: AlphaTauri CEO Teases Daniel Ricciardo 2024 Contract

AlphaTauri CEO Peter Bayer has hinted that Daniel Ricciardo could remain with the team in 2024.

AlphaTauri CEO Peter Bayer has alluded to Daniel Ricciardo remaining with the team for 2024.

The Australian driver replaced Nyck de Vries with immediate effect after just ten races of his rookie season. However, after just two races back, Ricciardo broke his wrist during the second practice session of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend which saw Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson taking his seat in the meantime. 

During an interview with PlanetF1, the CEO explained:

"My belief is that… obviously, we cannot only develop young drivers – we also have to be competitive.

“I think, to be competitive nowadays, you need… in order to fulfil both cars, you need to have one experienced driver and one young one. That’s really what I’m trying to achieve, you know, to have an experienced one and a young one.

“Because then the young one will learn more from the experienced one, the experienced one will help us and, for example, Daniel [Ricciardo] helped us tremendously on setting up the car.

“So whilst we give feedback to a young driver, the experienced one gives us feedback, and I’m convinced you need to have those two.”

With Yuki Tsunoda's AlphaTauri contract also due to expire at the end of the 2023 season, the question is who will fill the two seats for the team in 2024. If Ricciardo does remain with the team, it is anticipated that Lawson's impressive performances in the Netherlands and Italy will have sealed his deal for the other seat.

Ricciardo is expected to also miss the upcoming Singapore and Japanese Grands Prix whilst he recovers from his wrist injury. However, it is hoped he will be back for the Qatar Grand Prix.