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Daniel Ricciardo is back in Formula 1 after an eight-month absence as the replacement for the axed Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri.
Ricciardo found himself in an almost-identical position last year as to De Vries this season as McLaren opted to terminate his deal with a year still remaining on a lucrative three-year contract.
The Australian was at least able to see out last term with the Woking-based team, unlike De Vries whose time in F1 is over after just 11 grands prix – one with Williams and 10 with AlphaTauri.
Ricciardo is to join AlphaTauri on loan from Red Bull for the remainder of the season, with his first race in Hungary later this month.
The move represents a return to the team where Ricciardo spent two seasons in 2012 and 2013 when it was formerly known as Toro Rosso.
“I’m very pleased to welcome Daniel back into the team,” said AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost.
“There’s no doubt about his driving skill, and he already knows many of us, so his integration will be easy and straightforward.
“The team will also profit a lot from his experience, as he is an eight-time Formula 1 grand prix winner.
“I would like to thank Nyck for his valuable contribution during his time with Scuderia AlphaTauri, and I wish him all the best for the future.”
Ricciardo, who returned to the track at Silverstone on Tuesday in the RB19 for a Pirelli tyre test, simply stated: “I’m stoked to be back on track with the Red Bull family!”
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner remarked: ‘It is great to see Daniel hasn’t lost any form while away from racing and that the strides he has been making in his SIM sessions translate on track.
“His times during the tyre test were extremely competitive. It was a very impressive drive and we are excited to see what the rest of the season brings for Daniel on loan at Scuderia AlphaTauri.”
Ricciardo left F1 at the end of last season appearing disillusioned, not least after failing to perform with McLaren where his win in the 2021 Italian Grand Prix was the only bright light in two seasons of gloom.
The 34-year-old was quickly signed as the third driver by Red Bull, where he spent the best years of his career from 2014-18, with seven of his eight grands prix wins coming with the team over his five seasons.
Believing himself to slowly be sinking into the shadow of then-rising star Max Verstappen, Ricciardo moved on to Renault for two years, and then McLaren where he failed to adapt the car to his liking.
Ricciardo had made clear a break away from racing would prove beneficial and allow him to ascertain whether he still had the drive to again compete in F1.
Over the past few months with Red Bull, where he has aided race drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez with numerous simulator sessions and undertaken a myriad of marketing duties, Ricciardo has regained his desire and motivation.
As for F2 and Formula E champion De Vries, he now has to pick up the pieces of a shattered opportunity.
The Dutch driver was finally handed his F1 chance after impressing as a stand-in for Alex Albon at Williams in last year’s Italian Grand Prix after the Thai-British driver suffered appendicitis.
As the reserve driver with Mercedes at the time, De Vries delivered a superb performance at Monza where he finished ninth.
That brought him to the attention of AlphaTauri who turned to the 28-year-old after the team failed in its bid to land Colton Herta as replacement for the departing Pierre Gasly to Alpine.
De Vries, however, has struggled, hindered considerably by a woefully under-performing car that has left the team bottom of the constructors’ standings.
De Vries’ best result was 12th in the Monaco Grand Prix but over time pressure and speculation have mounted.
On Friday ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost made clear that De Vries’ future was in his own hands.
“Nyck decides, not the team,” said Tost. “If Nyck shows a good performance, why should we change him?”
De Vries, however, finished 17th of the 19 classified at the Red Bull Ring, although at least ahead of team-mate Yuki Tsunoda who was last.
For the British GP at Silverstone, De Vries was again 17th, but last of those who saw the chequered flag, one position and two seconds behind Tsunoda, despite the car possessing a raft of updates.
