F1 News: Daniel Ricciardo Crash - This Is When He Could Return

From a Crash at Zandvoort to a Potential Comeback in Singapore

Daniel Ricciardo sustained a metacarpal injury after his crash at Zandvoort's FP2, prompting Liam Lawson to replace him for the rest of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend and possibly the Italian round next week. Red Bull F1 boss, Christian Horner, is hopeful for Ricciardo's return by the Singapore weekend, as he undergoes surgery in Barcelona under Doctor Xavier Mir.

The Australian driver encountered a significant setback at the Dutch track. During the second practice session of the Friday, a sharp collision at Turn 3 resulted in a damaging break to the metacarpal in his left hand as the wheel suddenly twisted when the front wheels hit the barriers.

As a result of Ricciardo's sudden injury, Red Bull's reserve driver and notable name in the Japanese Super Formula championship, Liam Lawson, will step up to the plate. 

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Talking to Sky Sports, Red Bull team chief Christian Horner is expecting Daniel Ricciardo to return to the seat of an F1 car by Singapore.

“That's the thing he was most frustrated about, talking with him last night.

“He's just taken a bunch of time off, just getting his mojo back, getting back into it and now he's on the bench again. That was, I think, his frustration.

“I think he felt that the car, they've started to make some progress and it's a shame for him.

“But I'm sure, at the back of his mind, he's probably got Singapore as a target.

“But then again, Singapore is probably one of the most tough circuits on the calendar. But nature will take its course.”

In a bid to expedite his recovery, Ricciardo has made a beeline for Barcelona to potentially undergo surgery. The acclaimed Doctor Xavier Mir, known for his work on Lance Stroll after a bicycle accident at the beginning of this season, is set to oversee the procedure.

Horner concluded, highlighting the remarkable resilience of F1 drivers:

“These guys, we see it in MotoGP, they bounce back pretty quick... It's quite a clean break and then, of course, it's all about the recuperation and how long that takes.

"Any normal human being would probably be about 10 to 12 weeks, but we know that these guys aren't normal.”