Daniel Ricciardo says he’s “stoked” to return to Formula One after being hired to race for AlphaTauri.
While under the Toro Rosso marque, the Red Bull reserve team gave the Australian his entry into F1 as a test driver in 2011 before he earned a full-time seat the following two years.
Following the British Grand Prix, AlphaTauri made the call to sign Ricciardo as Nyck de Vries’ replacement after the rookie failed to score a point in ten races.
In a short statement, Daniel Ricciardo simply said: “I’m stoked to be back on track with the Red Bull family!”
Ricciardo had served as Red Bull’s reserve driver since the start of the season, after leaving McLaren at the end of the 2022 campaign.
Some have suggested that the 34-year-old could even have a shot at replacing Sergio Perez in the Red Bull after a poor run of results for the Mexican.
Despite being second in the standings, Perez has finished on the podium in only one of his last five grands prix and is 99 points behind teammate Max Verstappen. Ricciardo is under contract with the team and could represent an experienced and readily available option for the championship leaders if he hits form.
On Ricciardio’s signing, AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost said: “I’m very pleased to welcome Daniel back into the team.
“There’s no doubt about his driving skills, and he already knows many of us, so his integration will be easy and straight forward. The team will also profit a lot from his experience, as he is an eight-time F1 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.”
