Ricciardo completes seat match with AlphaTauri

Only a few days after AlphaTauri introduced his return to System One, Daniel Ricciardo has taken the subsequent step by having accomplished a seat match forward of subsequent weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

After ten races into the 2023 F1 season, AlphaTauri has determined to half methods with Nyck de Vries as a result of the crew felt that the previous System 2 and System E champion couldn’t reside as much as expectations.

The Dutchman made a shock debut in final yr’s Italian Grand Prix when he changed Alexander Albon. Whereas he may rating two factors with an eye catching ninth-place end on his debut in Monza, he has failed to attain a single level in his 10 grands prix as a full-time F1 driver.

De Vires completed most not too long ago seventeenth at Silverstone, a spot behind his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, who’s at the moment finishing his third season in System One.

Talking to the De Telegraaf, Purple Bull guide Helmut Mark mentioned: “We contracted Nyck as a result of he carried out properly at Monza final yr. We anticipated him to not less than be equal to his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda this yr however that was not the case.

“He was all the time three-tenths of a second slower. We didn’t see any enhancements. He’s 28, has plenty of expertise, and has additionally been in a position to acquire plenty of information as a check driver in numerous F1 vehicles. You may’t examine him to a younger rookie.”

The Faenza-based outfit introduced this Thursday that Daniel Ricciardo would substitute the outgoing Dutchman, taking on his automotive from the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The Italian crew is not going to be new to the Australian driver as he accomplished his second season with them following his debut races with the HRT F1 Group in 2011.

Ricciardo spent the 2012 and 2013 season with Toro Rosso earlier than shifting on to Purple Bull Racing for the next 5 seasons with this lengthy spell having seen him clinch seven F1 race victories.

In 2019, the Perth-born driver had made the shock change to Renault earlier than he joined McLaren for the 2021 marketing campaign. Nonetheless, with Ricciardo unable to show his earlier efficiency stage with the Woking-based outfit, McLaren and the Australian terminated their contract a yr early, by mutual settlement.

Whereas he spent the primary half of the present F1 season with no race seat and as Purple Bull’s reserve driver, Ricciardo is now set to make a shock return to the championship as de Vries’ substitute.

The Australian has already visited the AlphaTauri’s Faenza manufacturing unit and accomplished his necessary seat match forward of his return to the game at subsequent Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Talking on his return to Faenza, Ricciardo mentioned “Ciao tutti, what’s happening? “I used to be greeted with a really good welcome again Honey Badger as a result of it’s been 10 years since I used to be what was then Toro Rosso and now, after all is Scuderia AlphaTauri.

“I’m studying my Italian once more, I’m getting my accent going and this my first day at Faenza so a really good heat welcome and comfortable to be right here.”