F1 News: Daniel Ricciardo Was "Wanting To Come Back" At Qatar Admits Horner

Horner reveals Ricciardo’s eagerness to return at the Qatar GP while elaborating on the deliberate, health-prioritising decision to delay his comeback.

In the wake of a challenging Qatar Grand Prix, Red Bull principal Christian Horner reveals that Daniel Ricciardo, who's nursing a hand injury, was eager to return, while Horner advocated for additional recuperation time. The extreme conditions experienced during the race validated Horner's concerns and underscored the wisdom behind Ricciardo's delayed comeback.

Key Takeaways

• Despite Ricciardo's itch to rejoin the grid after his hand injury and intense simulator training, a measured approach to his recovery was chosen, keeping his long-term health and career forefront.
• Drivers at the Qatar GP faced gruelling, humid conditions which resulted in acute dehydration and physical strain.
• With a contract for the upcoming year and a competent substitute in Liam Lawson, Horner and AlphaTauri prioritised Ricciardo’s health and sustainable return to racing, aiming for a safer re-entry at the United States GP.

The physical demands of the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix were nothing short of brutal, with drivers grappling with partial vision loss, vomiting, and acute dehydration amidst the intense humidity. Daniel Ricciardo, currently healing from a metacarpal break sustained during a practice crash at Zandvoort, was initially positioned to make his comeback during this challenging race. However, the Australian communicated with his substitute, Liam Lawson, signalling a further delay in his return and eyeing the United States GP instead.

“I think it was right to miss this race, particularly as it turned out with the conditions that we had," affirmed Christian Horner (as quoted by Autosport), outlining the strains that Ricciardo would have been exposed to in Qatar.

“Austin [the next round], obviously it's going to be difficult for him to jump straight back into a sprint race weekend but I'm sure he'll be physically in good shape to take that on.”

AlphaTauri has been steadfast in their stance that Ricciardo’s return would hinge on his discretion. Returning to front-line F1 duty at Hungary, after his sabbatical post-McLaren, Ricciardo has immersed himself in extensive simulator sessions, gradually nearing full race distances with diminishing distress.

Horner further stated: 

“Of course, he was wanting to come back but he has a contract secured for next year [with AlphaTauri] and in Liam, we've got such a great sub. It was also a good way of giving him another grand prix without actually putting unnecessary pressure and potential longer-term damage on Dan to say, ‘Look, don't overstretch it’.”

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While Ricciardo was “wanting to come back,” Horner acknowledged the importance of a cautious approach, especially considering the challenging environmental conditions awaiting in Qatar. 

“To have had that extra 12 days in the run-up to Austin is the best preparation,” concluded Horner.