As the new season of Formula 1 approaches, several teams have made significant driver changes. One notable move was Daniel Ricciardo’s return to Red Bull as their reserve driver. This decision raised some questions about Ricciardo’s future in Formula 1, especially after a difficult two-year stint at McLaren. Recently, both Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and Haas team principal Guenther Steiner shared their opinions on Ricciardo’s future in F1.
Horner’s Comments on Ricciardo’s Return to Red Bull
Ricciardo began his career with Red Bull, but he left the team in 2018 to join Renault before moving on to McLaren for the 2021 season. However, his time at McLaren was challenging, with the team struggling to find the pace they needed to compete at the front of the grid. Despite this setback, Horner is optimistic about Ricciardo’s future and is pleased that he has returned to Red Bull.
Horner commented that Ricciardo had picked up habits at McLaren that were not recognized by his former team, but he has since shown signs of getting back to being reminiscent of the Daniel they knew. In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Horner joked that they needed to feed Ricciardo after he returned looking skinny but acknowledged that he was pleased with Ricciardo’s progress.
Ricciardo’s Options for a Competitive F1 Seat in 2024
Ricciardo lost his place on the F1 grid this year after leaving McLaren, and it appears he may struggle to find a competitive seat when he returns in 2024. Sky Sports pitlane reporter Kravitz witnessed Ricciardo on the pit wall during testing and saw how much he was struggling with not being an F1 driver anymore. He even suggested that it’s better for Ricciardo to be with the engineers and not on the pit wall.
Although Ricciardo turned down a vacancy at Haas last year to become Red Bull’s third driver, Steiner has not ruled out welcoming him back into F1 on a full-time basis. Ricciardo has expressed interest in returning to racing and feels that it is where he is headed. However, Steiner says that Ricciardo’s previous snub hasn’t closed the door for future talks, but the current lineup takes priority.
Horner Believes in Ricciardo’s Progress
Horner believes that Ricciardo is desperate to get a run in the car at some point to validate his progress in the virtual world. Although he understands that Ricciardo will have limited track time as the reserve driver, Horner insists that he can still make progress behind the scenes. He added that Ricciardo had time off over Christmas to reset and seems to be getting back to being reminiscent of the driver that Red Bull knew.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown Wishes Ricciardo Well
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has also weighed in on Ricciardo’s future, stating that he is happy to see him back in the paddock and hopes he gets to win more races in the future. Brown recognizes how difficult it was for Ricciardo at McLaren, but he believes that he is a great driver who deserves a second chance.
Conclusion
Daniel Ricciardo’s return to Red Bull as their reserve driver has sparked discussion about his future in Formula 1. While some speculate that his options for a competitive seat may be limited, both Christian Horner and Guenther Steiner have expressed confidence in his abilities. The 2024 season presents an opportunity for Ricciardo to return as a full-time driver, but until then, he will be eager to prove himself as Red Bull’s reserve driver.
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