The rumors had been circulating for weeks now. However, Red Bull confirmed earlier this morning that Daniel Ricciardo would be returning to the team that gave him his career, but with a twist.
Ricciardo is set to join as a reserve driver, having left the team at the end of 2018 for Renault. Many questioned Ricciardo’s surprise move. It is thought that Ricciardo left as a result of him slowly becoming the second driver within the team upon the arrival of young hot shoe Max Verstappen in 2016. Ricciardo went from one of the best drivers on the grid to being out of a job in just four seasons after leaving Red Bull.
The year 2021 will forever be remembered as Max Verstappen’s first championship, where he snatched the trophy out of the hands of Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the season’s final race. However, the story of a hero behind the scenes who played a crucial role in the development of the championship-winning car i less well know. Alex Albon, the former Red Bull driver, was in the simulator for countless hours. The data he collected played a crucial role in setting up the car during race weekends and is credited by both Max Verstappen and Christian Horner as one of the main reasons the car remained competitive against the Mercedes throughout the season. The role of a former F1 driver in the simulator offers a massive competitive advantage to a team throughout the course of the season. I suspect Ricciardo is to fill this crucial role now that Albon is driving for Williams. This will immensely help Red Bull suppress the negative effects of a reduced wind tunnel time due to cost cap breaches in 2021.
As for Ricciardo’s future, it can be assumed he will be looking for a seat, most likely as a replacement for Yuki Tsunoda in 2023. However, it will be a long year for Ricciardo. At least he’s finally home.
