How Ricciardo could still end up on the F1 grid

1 year ago 110

Red Bull squad main Christian Horner has revealed Daniel Ricciardo volition instrumentality connected reserve operator duties astatine respective expansive prix successful 2023.

Ricciardo volition instrumentality to Milton Keynes arsenic the team's 3rd operator adjacent play aft helium was paid retired from McLaren with 1 twelvemonth remaining connected his declaration to marque mode for chap Australian Oscar Piastri

In his role, Ricciardo volition assistance the constructor with investigating and simulator work, arsenic good arsenic commercialized enactment and operator development.

While the responsibilities of a 3rd operator and a reserve operator are often synonymous, New Zealand racer Liam Lawson will travel connected arsenic the team's authoritative reserve driver.

Lawson's ceremonial reserve operator relation means helium is archetypal prime to regenerate Verstappen oregon Perez during a contention play if either is unfit to compete.

However, Lawson's Japanese Super Formula commitments means helium volition beryllium incapable to be each Grand Prix connected the 2023 calendar, leaving Ricciardo to prime up the slack.

"Daniel volition beryllium attending immoderate races wherever evidently he'll beryllium our reserve operator for those events," Horner told Speedcafe.

"He'll astir apt bash a spot of tyre investigating for america to assistance with the Pirelli programme that gets distributed astir the teams. He'll beryllium doing immoderate enactment successful the simulator.

"He'll beryllium doing each of those activities and past of people with the commercialized demands that we person from the myriad of sponsors and partners that we person – peculiarly with the overmuch bigger beingness successful the US wherever Daniel is present predominantly based with 3 expansive prix determination adjacent twelvemonth – he's going to person a engaged docket for the play ahead."

Horner said Ricciardo had "fallen retired of love" with the athletics aft a challenging play but hoped the alteration of scenery would rekindle his hunger for racing.

He besides reinforced Ricciardo's declaration would not see a proviso that could spot the West Australian recoup a contention spot anytime soon.

"We were amazed to spot Daniel beryllium retired connected the unfastened market," helium said.

"So for america – having grown up with Red Bull, having nurtured him since being a inferior – it made consciousness for america to bring him backmost into the fold.

"I deliberation that Daniel had fallen retired of emotion a small spot with Formula 1. He's had a mates of truly pugnacious seasons, peculiarly this year.

"For him to play a supporting relation to the contention drivers arsenic our 3rd driver, some backmost present astatine the mill and astatine events with each the commercialized partners we person – arsenic 1 of the astir recognisable faces presently successful and astir Formula 1 – for us, it made a batch of sense.

"Hopefully successful that process, Daniel volition rediscover his passionateness for Formula 1. But we surely person nary plans to utilise him different successful that 3rd operator relation to harvester with the commercialized activities that he'll beryllium performing."

Ricciardo could beryllium successful enactment for his archetypal ceremonial duty with Red Bull bringing its 2011 championship-winning RB7 to Mount Panorama arsenic a portion of a objection tally astatine the Bathurst 12 Hour successful February.

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