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Christian Horner has addressed rumors of former McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo potentially driving for AlphaTauri in 2024. The Briton claims the decision rests with AlphaTauri, stating that the team will assess the Australian’s lead and make the call accordingly.
AlphaTauri’s current squad consists of Nyck de Vries and Yuki Tsunoda, with the former failing to catch the eye so far in 2023. The Dutchman is prone to rookie mistakes and doesn’t live up to the Scuderia squad’s aspirations.
As a result, there were rumors that Ricardo would join Tsunoda next year, giving him a full-time seat in the sport again.
However, Horner claims that the decision is entirely up to AlphaTauri. Speaking at a press conference during the 2023 Austrian Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Red Bull boss said of Daniel Ricciardo:
“Well, it’s still very early days, you know, for next year. And I think Daniel is under contract this year. He’s going to drive for us for the first time after the British Grand Prix. And he’s obviously a world-class driver. He’s won what, seven Grand Prix in his career.” So far (sic 8)”.
He completed:
“So I think the first thing would be to see how he performs and where his motivation is, and then from there, it’s a question for AlphaTauri, you know, their options for next season.”
Daniel Ricciardo hopes for a ‘fairytale’ end to his Formula One career
Daniel Ricciardo hopes to rejoin Red Bull as a full-time driver, finishing his career with the team with which he won seven trophies. However, to fulfill his dream, he had to replace Sergio Pérez in the Austrian national team, much to the dismay of Mexico.
After a difficult two-year spell at McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo was left without a place on the starting grid in 2023. As a result, he returned to Red Bull as a reserve driver. Joined as protégés, Australian Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez help prepare their cars to perfection through extensive simulation testing.
However, Checo is signed to the team through the end of 2024, which makes it extremely unlikely that his seat will be snatched away by the Honey Badger. Despite the odds against him, Ricciardo is still hoping for a tale ending as he told ESPN:
“This to me would be like a fairy tale. Honestly, the end of the tale[would be]to end my career here if I could have it all my own way,”
As it stands, the Australians’ chances of making a full-time return to the sport lie with AlphaTauri, who will make up their minds by the end of the year.
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