Ricciardo set for shock Formula 1 homecoming

2 years ago 85

Daniel Ricciardo looks acceptable to reunite with Red Bull Racing, having reportedly signed a reserve woody with his aged squad for adjacent season.

After the Australian was knocked retired of the archetypal portion of qualifying for the US Grand Prix successful Austin connected Sunday greeting (AEDT), Sky Sports F1 paddock newsman Ted Kravitz said Ricciardo had revealed the quality successful the lead-up to the contention gathering past week.

"We bash recognize that helium has closed retired a reserve thrust for adjacent twelvemonth truthful helium volition beryllium - helium told america connected Thursday helium volition beryllium astir astir the Formula 1 paddock adjacent year," Kravitz said.

Red Bull and Mercedes are the lone 2 teams that instrumentality their reserve drivers to each contention meeting.

Others often person them moving successful mill connected the team's simulators during contention weekends investigating assorted setups to assistance the trackside crew.

Kravitz evidently believes Ricciardo's phrasing - that helium would beryllium successful the F1 paddock - indicates helium has signed with 1 of those 2 teams.

Paddock speech since the Japanese Grand Prix a fortnight agone had suggested Ricciardo was to motion a reserve relation with Mercedes, with eyes to instrumentality to a contention relation successful 2024.

But with Lewis Hamilton verbally expressing a tendency to transportation connected and George Russell connected a semipermanent contract, determination is improbable to beryllium an opening there.

The Mercedes relation was besides the evident prime aft their existent reserve, Dutchman Nyck de Vries signed a contention declaration with AlphaTauri for adjacent season.

But with Max Verstappen apt to stay astatine Red Bull until helium retires, and Sergio Perez having earlier this twelvemonth signed a two-year hold to his deal, locking him astatine Milton Keynes until the extremity of 2024, Red Bull is afloat too.

"But I'm told it's not Mercedes, truthful which lone leaves Red Bull arsenic the teams which person a reserve operator connected manus astatine each race," Kravitz said.

Meanwhile, Ricciardo volition commencement the US Grand Prix from 16th aft different disappointing qualifying performance.

On his last tally successful Q1, Ricciardo improved from 18th to conscionable 13th earlier being shuffled backmost down into the elimination portion to 17th aft improvements from Kevin Magnussen, teammate Lando Norris and Alex Albon.

Zhou Guanyu besides leapfrogged the Aussie spot volition commencement down him owed to a grid penalty.

McLaren squad main Andreas Seidl said Ricciardo's show was a "big disappointment".

"I deliberation it was not casual for Daniel to get the thigh together," helium told the Sky Sports F1 broadcast.

"He was struggling with the rear, which is simply a shame due to the fact that he's showed immoderate bully gait this weekend."

Carlos Sainz volition commencement from pole. Charles Leclerc was 2nd fastest but a 10-place grid punishment for a caller motor volition spot him commencement 12th.

Max Verstappen volition commencement 2nd from the Mercedes duo of Hamilton and Russell.

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