LOS ANGELES:
The Daniel Ricciardo of previous is again and with a spring in his step, Pink Bull staff boss Christian Horner mentioned on Friday amid discuss of the Australian making a Method One return with sister staff AlphaTauri.
Ricciardo, 33 and an eight-time grand prix winner with Pink Bull and McLaren, is spending a 12 months on the sidelines as Pink Bull’s reserve after dropping his seat at McLaren to rookie compatriot Oscar Piastri.
He mentioned lately it might be a fairytale situation to race for Pink Bull once more and has been linked to AlphaTauri as an eventual alternative for Dutch rookie Nyck de Vries, who has but to attain in eight races.
Horner informed reporters on the Austrian Grand Prix that it was nonetheless ‘very early days’ to speak about 2024 and it remained to be seen how Ricciardo obtained on in tyre testing at Silverstone subsequent month.
“When he first arrived (again at Pink Bull) after Abu Dhabi final 12 months, it was a bit little bit of a shock as a result of we did not actually recognise him from the motive force that had left us a couple of years earlier,” mentioned Horner.
“However he appears to have refound his mojo, he is been working arduous on the simulator, he is now extraordinarily aggressive in what he is doing within the digital world.
“So whether or not that crosses over into the true world we’ll see, albeit at a tyre take a look at, we’ll get an impression as to the extent he is acting at. However definitely you’ll be able to see there is a spring coming again in his step.”
Horner mentioned Ricciardo had performed an honest quantity of mileage within the simulator, spending time again on the manufacturing unit when not attending races.
“He is thrown himself into that and been giving very priceless suggestions,” he added.
AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost, who’s retiring on the finish of the 12 months from a staff that has traditionally been a launchpad for younger drivers, informed reporters Ricciardo may very well be an choice if no Pink Bull junior was deemed prepared.
“If the actual time is simply too early, then possibly we’ve got to seek out one other resolution,” he mentioned.