F1 News: Red Bull Chief Opens Up On Daniel Ricciardo's Return - "Now Extremely Competitive"

Christian Horner speaks out on Daniel Ricciardo's hopes for an F1 return.

Christian Horner, Red Bull's team principal, recently shared his observations about Daniel Ricciardo's rejuvenation since his return to the Red Bull team as the reserve driver. He highlighted Ricciardo's dedication and significant contribution to the team's simulator operations.

 "He seems to have rediscovered his mojo, he’s been working hard on the simulator," Horner said, noting Ricciardo's vital role in providing valuable feedback that enhances the team's race weekend strategies.

Ricciardo, the Australian racer who was previously associated with McLaren, is preparing to test the RB19 following the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. This development is sparking speculation about Ricciardo's return to the grid in 2024, potentially with Red Bull's junior team, AlphaTauri.

Horner spoke with guarded optimism about Ricciardo's prospects, explaining:

“Well, it’s still very early days, you know, for next year, and I think that Daniel is under contract for the year.

“He’s going to be driving our car for the first time after the British Grand Prix and he’s obviously a world-class driver. He’s won what, seven [8, sic] Grands Prix in his career to date?

“So I think the first thing will be to see how he performs and where his motivation is, and then from there, it’s a question for AlphaTauri as to, you know, their choices for the following season.”

Despite noting that Ricciardo returned to Red Bull in a different physical state, Horner now sees a familiar fighter in him. 

“Well, when he first arrived after Abu Dhabi last year, it was a little bit of a shock because we didn’t really recognise him from the driver that had left us a few years earlier.

“But he seems to have rediscovered his mojo, he’s been working hard on the simulator, he’s now extremely competitive in what he’s doing in the virtual world.

“So, whether that crosses over into the real world, you know, we’ll see, albeit at a tyre test. We’ll get an impression as to the level that he’s performing at. But certainly, you can see that there’s a spring coming back in his step.”

With Ricciardo's resurgence in his new role, he's not only making a difference behind the scenes but is also rekindling his own racing aspirations. This Australian racer's journey back to the race grid is undoubtedly one to watch.

“He’s done a pretty decent amount of mileage. I mean, he’s done pretty much… Most of the races that he’s not been attending he’s been back in the factory supporting on the sim.

“So, you know, he’s thrown himself into that, and has been giving very valuable feedback.”