Daniel Ricciardo is at a critical juncture of his Formula 1 career. He’s set clear objectives for the 2024 season, which could define the final years of his time on the grid.
Since leaving Red Bull six years ago, the Australian has experienced various struggles. From Renault’s underwhelming performance to struggles at McLaren, Ricciardo’s post-Red Bull career has been far from smooth.
Luckily for the 34-year-old, an opportunity presented itself last summer. With De Vries underperforming at AlphaTauri, Helmut Marko and Christian Horner were ready to assess other options.
After impressing at a Silverstone test with Red Bull, Ricciardo was deemed ready for a comeback. He performed strongly in his first weekend back, qualifying and racing well in Hungary’s Budapest circuit.
Although Yuki Tsunoda was half a step faster in their time together, the 8-time race winner was still adapting to a new team. In 2024, a far more representative comparison between the AlphaTauri duo can take place.
With Sergio Perez under the microscope at Red Bull, the Faenza team’s duo have everything to gain.
With that said, most indications suggest Daniel Ricciardo is the preferred option for a Red Bull promotion.
Christian Horner’s admiration for the Australian is no secret. Ricciardo’s previous experience at the front also makes him a relatively low-risk signing.
Ricciardo puts pressure on himself
Speaking to Speedcafe, the AlphaTauri driver explained his outlook for this year:
“I’m coming from a place of gratitude, but I’m also coming from a place where I’m going all in.
“And I will expect results out of myself.
“I will expect to do things like I did in Mexico [where he qualified 4th] and turn some heads.
“And have some people saying ‘Oh, he’s still got it,’ because I believe I can.”
Seeing an 8-time race winner return to F1 is undoubtedly a positive development. Ricciardo has already shown flashes of speed in his limited time back on the grid.
However, there is still obviously a lot to prove. Red Bull will use 2024 to increase their sample size and more accurately gauge Ricciardo’s level against Tsunoda.
With Liam Lawson’s F1 comeback almost inevitable at this stage, there is little margin for error.
