Daniel Ricciardo is present in the paddock for the 2023 Australian GP and will not be racing in his home race this year. The Aussie will spend the season as Red Bull’s reserve driver after a few difficult years in the sport.
Ricciardo left Red Bull in 2018 after spending 4 years with the team. The Aussie left Milton Keynes for Renault and later McLaren to develop his career. However, the move did not yield the results he desired.
Apart from his win in Monza, his career has dipped since leaving Red Bull. Riccardo has taken a year’s gap to find his mojo back and work on his mental health.
He kept the RB7 all those years 😄 Great to have you back, Daniel 🇦🇺
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 28, 2023
While the Red Bull reserve driver takes a break from the rigors of racing, he has another challenge facing him. As Red bull boss Christian Horner pointed out, there is a lot that the 33-year-old needs to unlearn from his previous stints with Renault and McLaren.
Daniel Ricciardo picked up some habits claims Horner
Ricciardo was a member of Red Bull’s academy having previously raced for its sister team Toro Rosso for 2 years. He achieved 7 of his 8 career wins driving a Red Bull car, which means he is well aware of how to maneuver the beast to make the best of it.
But Horner has observed a lot of changes in the Aussie’s driving. The Red Bull boss claimed some of these traits go back to his struggling days in McLaren and Renault.
Horner claimed, “When you drive a car that has its limitations, you adapt and try and adjust to extract the most out of that car. And it was clear when he came back, that he picked up some habits. We didn’t recognize the Daniel that had left us two or three years earlier.”
🍯🦡 has arrived, what a crowd! #AusGP pic.twitter.com/fyJEmDNRvQ
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 31, 2023
However, Horner believes the 8 GP winner is on the right track. He spent Christmas with his family in Australia and has shown good progress in the simulator.
The Red Bull boss added, “I think he’s desperate to get a run in the car at some point to validate that. But we’re certainly seeing him getting back to being far more reminiscent of the Daniel that we knew.
Ricciardo is a positive energy in the team
Horner gladly welcomed Ricciardo back to the Red Bull camp. Horner is pleased to see the Red Bull returnee put in the hours in the sim and aid the development of the RB19.
Horner commented, “It’s great to have him back in blue and be back in the team. Daniel’s just a positive energy to have around and it’s great to see him getting his mojo back.”
One of Ricciardo’s most identifiable trademarks is his wide smile. And Horner claims the team at Milton Keynes has dearly missed seeing the Ausssie’s wide and bright smile. Horner called the driver a “positive energy in the team,” and someone who has gelled with everyone.
Melbourne, we are back!! 🇦🇺#AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/PiXxhObzhd
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 30, 2023
The Red Bull boss believes it’s only a matter of time until Ricciardo finds his way back into the F1 grid. In the meantime, he will be testing and giving the team critical data.
Horner added, “Hopefully, he’ll rediscover his love for the sport. He’ll do a bit of testing for us later in the year and we’ll see how that goes for him. It must be very tough for him not to be a race driver this weekend but he’s thrown himself and embraced this new role.”
Ricciardo has kept his options open for a potential return back to racing in 2024. Though, the lack of seats available will hinder his hopes of finding a seat next year.
