F1 News: Insider Reveals Daniel Ricciardo Return Has "Got To Be A Worry" For Yuki Tsunoda

Former McLaren mechanic and Formula 1 journalist Marc Priestley has detailed how Daniel Ricciardo's return is not good news for Yuki Tsunoda.

Former McLaren mechanic and F1 journalist Marc Priestley believes Daniel Ricciardo's return to AlphaTauri is bad news for teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

The Australian driver's return came ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix following Red Bull's strategic, yet abrupt, decision to let go of rookie Nyck de Vries. This decision proved fruitful as Ricciardo displayed stellar performance, overshadowing Tsunoda in qualifying and the race in Hungary.

However, the dynamics shifted at the Belgian Grand Prix. The Japanese driver seized an opportunity when Ricciardo's best lap was nullified during qualifying, giving Tsunoda an edge. But this edge was short-lived. In the subsequent sprint race, Ricciardo re-established his dominance at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Priestley, weighed in on the matter. He voiced his thoughts on the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, highlighting Ricciardo's swift adaptation to the car and circuit, which may spell trouble for Tsunoda. Priestley explained:

“I actually personally think that he’s in a bit of trouble here.

“Because I think Daniel Ricciardo is actually very, very strong already in that car.

“The only reason Daniel Ricciardo was languishing at the back [in Belgium] was that moment in qualifying where he stepped over track limits and lost his lap time.

“Clearly, that’s his own fault, that was a mistake, but it put him on the back foot and he didn’t manage to get through that train of cars."

He continued:

“I think you put the two of them next to each other on a clear bit of track in the same car, I think Daniel Ricciardo is showing signs of winning every time and that’s got to be a worry for Tsunoda.

“You know how brutal that Red Bull family can be if you’re not living up to expectations so that’s one to keep an eye on in the second half of the season.”