Ricciardo's F1 comeback hopes soar with Red Bull Deal
Jun.26 - Daniel Ricciardo's hopes of returning to Formula 1 have been given a major boost by Dr Helmut Marko.
Marko signed up the axed McLaren driver, and former teammate to Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing, to be Red Bull's reserve, test and ambassadorial driver this year.
Ricciardo, 33, has already been linked with the struggling Nyck de Vries' race seat at Red Bull's junior team AlphaTauri, but the Australian doesn't sound keen.
"One thing I want to get out of this year is I want to know what I want, but I also want to know what I don't want. And I think I can already answer that," said Ricciardo.
"I don't want to go back to ground zero. I don't want to just be on the grid to be on the grid and struggle in 18th place.
"I know it's harder to just jump straight into a top team in terms of availability, but I know I thrive in those situations when there is more on the line."
For Ricciardo, the fact that Verstappen's current teammate Sergio Pérez has entered a performance slump is perfect timing.
Red Bull's Marko told the Austrian broadcaster ORF: "After Silverstone, we will have Ricciardo in the car for three days at the tyre test that Pirelli is organising.
"And then we can evaluate - where does Ricciardo really stand?"
Mexican Perez, also 33, is already signed up for 2024 but Red Bull contracts often include termination options.
"His (Perez's) initial goal was two, three years (with Red Bull)," Marko insisted. "That would be more than he planned anyway, so we just have to keep our options open for the successor."
Russian F1 commentator Alexey Popov thinks Perez has faded under the pressure of the fight for the drivers' title.
"He somehow started the season too well," he said. "Sergio and his father decided that he's now fighting for the title, and then three times in a row he didn't get into Q3.
"But to not get into Q3 three times with the dominant car, you almost have to try," Popov added.
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Thinking realistically, I'm still doubtful about him returning full-time next season, especially at AlphaTauri.
He'd merely be a seat-waster there in his career point, considering the likes of Lawson & Iwasa, especially the former, unless Tsunoda also got sacked to form a Ricciardo-Lawson lineup, which would be unfair to him because he hasn't given a strong justification for sacking like De Vries.
Actually when you look at the drivers for Torro Rosso and AT most of them have gone on to make it in America and quite successfully, a better career than if theyd stayed at TR or RB perhaps, only a couple that didn't really do it at TR , mayb less than that
I've heard a rumour which says that Alonso will give up his seat for CL as he's leaving ferrari could it be that Alonsos final fling at f1 could be with RB,, now that would be something to look forward to.
Lol, I haven't seen or read anything like that.
AM are way too smart for that.
Yeah, Ricciardo would be a superstar in the US. Great personality, I guess he will be a moviestar in notime.
DR's summary of recent results won't make it easy for him to achieve a start with a front of the grid team. He has sat on the sidelines too long without competing. He should have managed to get himself a start in WEC this year, so he could keep his competitive edge or at least revive his lost skills. Tyre testing and display driving won't revive his earlier displayed talents. When Fernando took his sabbatical at least he competed in WEC, and Kimi in his break competed in rallying. Sitting on the sidelines like a glass of flat beer achieves nothing for DR!
I think he was fed up with racing persee(due in part to his recent results i agree), had he been just bored with f1 he might have done a Mansell ie nipped over to America for a yr or two
Kimi and Ferdy, they returned but neither to a top team initially
But i agree hes stuffed, i cant see a team taking him on
I could see Riccardo competing in the WEC in the Hypercar class as did many F1 drivers including Alonso, and Weber.