Daniel Ricciardo, the 33-year-old, returns to the racing team where his journey started. In the beginning, he was test-driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso, the sister team of Red Bull Racing. The first experience of Aussie racing in a Grand Prix was back in the 2011 British Grand Prix. Albeit he was racing with the HRT team back then, it was a part of a deal with the Red Bull Racing team.
After staying with the Red Bull sister team for a couple of years, he started driving with the Red Bull team, replacing Mark Webber in 2014. Ricciardo was part of a team with the four-time driver’s champion, Sebastian Vettel, and he represented the Red Bull team until 2018. Later, he joined Renault in 2018 and stayed there until the 2020 season.
In 2021 he joined McLaren and drove with this team till 2022. Daniel Ricciardo won his first race for McLaren at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix. He has, in total, eight wins at Grands Prix in F1 motorsport. The first three wins of Ricciardo’s career came with the Red Bull team in his first year in the 2014 Canada, Hungary, and Belgium Grand Prix. He won the third spot in the 2014 championship. So after his journey with Renault and McLaren, he came back home in 2023, where it all started for him. Rather Christian Horner and the team brought Ricciardo back where he belongs.
What Does Ricciardo’s Future With Red Bull Look Like?
Christian Horner, Red Bull Team Principal, said they were a bit surprised to see Daniel Ricciardo in the open market. Despite having only eight Grands Prix victories under his belt, Ricciardo has made a very well-known image for himself. Hence, they just thought to bring him back. But it does not look like Ricciardo will get the role of the two main drivers for Red Bull. Instead, he will be the third choice.
According to Horner, Daniel Ricciardo will play the supporting role of the two main drivers of the team. Ricciardo is a good fit for the team both at the factory and at commercial events. He seems to have a friendly relationship with the current double World Champion, Max Verstappen.
Ever since his debut and especially after the Netflix series, Drive to Survive, Ricciardo’s fan following has been growing at a rapid speed. Hence, with this move to his former team as a third driver, fans wonder why he lost a chance for an entire season race seat with another team. Why is he satisfied with the role of a supporting driver?
At the age of 33, Is he not passionate anymore about participating in a Grand Prix? However, people can expect him to take part in Grands Prix in the future but probably not soon enough. Horner believes that since he is back to his former team with time, Daniel Ricciardo will regain his passion for racing at a Grand Prix.
Can Daniel Ricciardo Be A Possible Replacement For Sergio Perez?
The last season at the Brazilian Grand Prix, where the Silver Arrows managed their only victory of the season, things were getting tense in the Red Bull camp. The team had ordered Verstappen to let Perez overtake him. But the current champ did not follow it, apparently at Sao Paolo. The Mexican racer was naturally not very happy with his teammate’s decision.
Albeit, the team principal has yet to suggest that Daniel Ricciardo will get a chance for the full-season race seat any time soon. Nonetheless, the possibility remains if Verstappen and Perez’s tension keeps mounting. Ricciardo might be able to get his shot in the future.