Daniel Ricciardo Reveals Compromise Of F1 Return
F1 star Daniel Ricciardo expressed that he dreams of concluding his Formula 1 career with Red Bull, even though it might entail a stint with AlphaTauri first. The Australian racing driver made these sentiments known during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, in a candid chat with ESPN, where he laid bare his aspirations of returning to a permanent seat in F1.
Elucidating his feelings, he said, “This for me would be like the fairytale. Honestly, the fairytale ending [would be] to finish my career here if I could have it all my own way. But we’ll see. I’ll probably have to work my way up a little bit but it’s really nice to be back here.”
After leaving McLaren at the close of 2022, Ricciardo, a Grand Prix victor eight times over, joined forces with Red Bull, taking up the mantle as their third driver for 2023. He has been vocal about his desire to regain a full-time spot on the grid, albeit he insists that it should be with a competitive team.
The current contract of Sergio Perez with Red Bull, set to conclude at the end of 2024, has sparked off a whirlwind of speculation. Many observers have raised doubts over Perez’s performance level being enough to retain his position. Some even suggest he might be shown the door earlier than expected. Once Ricciardo was confirmed as the Austrian team’s third driver, speculation has been rife about him potentially filling Perez’s shoes.
Moreover, other names thrown into the mix as potential substitutes for Perez include Lando Norris, Alex Albon, and Yuki Tsunoda, should Perez indeed lose his Red Bull berth.
