Daniel Ricciardo makes F1 return at Hungarian GP with AlphaTauri; Australian explains why he has joined team bottom of Constructors' Championship; watch the Hungarian GP live on Sky Sports F1; F1 Juniors will be live on Sky Showcase and Sky Sports Mix
Thursday 20 July 2023 16:53, UK
Daniel Ricciardo believes his return to AlphaTauri offers him the best chance towards reclaiming a "dream" race seat at Red Bull.
The 34-year-old makes his F1 return at this weekend's Hungarian GP having replaced Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri for the remainder of the season.
Ricciardo had rejoined Red Bull - where he claimed seven Grand Prix victories between 2014-2018 - at the start of the year as a third driver after being released by McLaren following two underwhelming seasons with the Woking-based team.
Ricciardo had previously insisted he only wanted to return to the grid with a team that could challenge at the front but, with AlphaTauri currently bottom of the Constructors' Championship, the Australian explained how his mindset had changed.
"I had enough time off to reset but also kind of enjoy it again. I already felt that on the simulator so far this year but then also that's why I wanted to drive the car and really make sure that it is still truly what I love doing most," said Ricciardo, who was confirmed as an AlphaTauri driver after driving Red Bull's RB19 in a Pirelli tyre test at Silverstone on July 11.
"I was up to speed really quickly and it felt so good again and obviously tasting the Red Bull car got me pretty excited.
"I knew also with everything that happened the last few years, getting back into the sport after taking some time off, I knew it would be very hard to go back at the top.
"Of course that was my wish but you also need to be realistic at some point and say 'OK, if I want to get back to a Red Bull seat then it's going to take a bit of a process or a path'. This for me is the best path at the moment.
"Six months ago I probably wasn't in a place to jump at an opportunity like this but that's been the luxury of time now where I've just felt so much more, I guess fallen in love with it again and feel like I've been myself again.
"I'm back in an environment that gives me a lot of nostalgia. I spent a lot of my career here and a lot of my journey and junior days were here. Talking to Helmut (Marko) again more regularly it kind of feels like it's where I belong so when the opportunity came I thought absolutely let's try."
Ricciardo says the "fairy-tale ending" to his career is racing for Red Bull again and he revealed he has not been given any criteria or expectations from the runaway championship leaders on what he must do at AlphaTauri to achieve that dream.
Red Bull have world champion Max Verstappen contracted through to 2028 while Sergio Perez's current deal with the team expires at the end of next season.
"The dream is a Red Bull seat but there is no 'this is what you need to do'," Ricciardo said.
"Everything has happened so quickly. The test was the first box I needed to tick, that was great, but now this is obviously another hurdle.
"They're not like 'take it easy' they're like 'show us what you've got', but there is no criteria.
"Red Bull is the dream so to speak but there's no point me thinking about that. There is a lot of work to do here.
"In terms of expectation, there is none. It's just for me, everything I felt driving the car last week is how I want to go racing again. I just want to be in the moment, enjoying it, not thinking too far ahead.
"I've been following and I know the (AlphaTauri) car is going to have some limitations but I've got to do the best with what I've got. If it's something I feel I can work with then that's all I need to then feel good behind the wheel again and use some of my experience to push the team.
"As far as this weekend goes if you say 'where do you want to finish?' I couldn't tell you because I just want to know that I've put everything into it and done a lap that I'm proud of.
"For sure, there's no real criteria at the moment, but I need to show something for sure. But also for next year and beyond, there's no guarantees - probably ever - with this sport.
"In a way, the summer break would have been more conventional [to come in], but I kind of like that I've got two races and then the break, so I've then got some things to think about over the course of the break, so I'm going to try and soak up as much of these two as I can, and then come Zandvoort, have a little bit more of a guidance or awareness of where I probably expect to be myself."
He added to Sky Sports F1: "This already feels like something pretty amazing so if I was ever to get back in that [Red Bull] seat it would feel like the fairy-tale ending.
"But performance, this sport isn't about fairy-tales it's about performance so that's my aim here, do that and see where the wind takes me."
Ricciardo's return to F1 comes after De Vries was axed by AlphaTauri just 10 races into his rookie season.
The former Mercedes reserve driver was bottom of the Drivers' Championship and was one of only two drivers yet to score points this season.
Ricciardo admitted he feels sorry for De Vries but believes the 28-year-old could still make it back to the F1 grid like him if that remains the Dutchman's aim.
Ricciardo said: "After what I've kind of gone through, let's say the last year, but also just my age now, just knowing how this sport is and just being a bit more mature, for sure you feel for other drivers.
"We put our life's work into this, so it's one of those ones where I do, I feel for Nyck. I know in F1 he's not particularly experienced but in motor racing he is, he's in his late twenties, so I feel like he's mature enough to understand the sport, and if he still wants it to work, I think he can get back up and make something happen.
"I look at me a year ago, I wasn't sure if I would ever race an F1 car again, and a year later, here I am.
"So things can happen, if he still wants it, keep his chin up, it's like anything in life, you get knocked down but it's how you get back up, and I wish him well, and if I ever saw him on the grid again, I'd be happy to."
Friday July 21
8:55am: F3 Practice
10am: F2 Practice
12pm: Hungarian GP Practice One (session starts 12:30pm)
2pm: F3 Qualifying
2:45pm: F2 Qualifying
3:40pm: Hungarian GP Practice Two (session starts 4pm)
5:15pm: The F1 Show
Saturday July 22
8:45am: F3 Sprint
11:15am: Hungarian GP Practice Three (session starts 11:30am)
1:10pm: F2 Sprint
2:15pm: Hungarian GP Qualifying build-up (Sky Showcase)
3pm: HUNGARIAN GP QUALIFYING (Sky Showcase)
5pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook
Sunday July 23
7:20am: F3 Feature Race
9am: F2 Feature Race
11am: Porsche Supercup
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday - Hungarian GP build-up
1:30pm: F1 Juniors: Hungarian Grand Prix (Sky Sports Mix and Sky Showcase)
2pm: The HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: British GP reaction
5pm: Ted's Notebook
Daniel Ricciardo's return and first F1 Juniors broadcast headline the Hungarian Grand Prix! Watch all the action live on Sky Sports F1 from July 21-23. Stream the Hungarian GP and more with NOW for £21 a month.
