Daniel Ricciardo suffered from a serious wrist injury at Zandvoort, last month. Due to his vital condition, Alpha Tauri is not in any rush to accelerate the driver’s comeback and said that his return was still “a mile away” as Liam Lawson continues his incredible performances in the veteran’s absence.
However, Daniel secured his 2024 F1 seat, extending his contract with Alpha Tauri further raising suspense about the Aussie’s comeback performance.
When is Daniel Ricciardo returning to on the Formula One circuit?
As it is mentioned above, Daniel’s serious wrist injury has caused him to take a break from racing for a while, thus confirming that he will not be able to return soon to racing. He underwent surgery involving a metal plate and some screws to secure the bone, while New Zealand’s Liam Lawson has taken to the cockpit in the Aussie’s place.
Chief engineer Jonathan Eddolls said “Well, we all saw him in Singapore, he’s still going through that recovery phase. I would say we’re still talking a while away, so I wouldn’t want to put a target on it. The recovery is going well.”
“We’ve got some simulator work planned before a return. I think from our side and his side there’s no rush to get him back too early. The worst thing would be to come back before it’s properly healed and cause any issues.”
He added that Ricciardo’s simulator sessions will serve as a fitness test for the former Red Bull man, further telling the reporters that Daniel will know about his recovery more than anyone and how much he has progressed since the incident which is why he is not being put into any kind of pressure on by the team. However, the final decision will entirely depend on him.
When asked about the current performance of the team without Ricciardo, he explained that their team has a strong format, which consists of skilled drivers thus Daniel would be able to take a rest without worrying about anything.
“We’ve got a pool of three good drivers at the moment, so there’s no big rush. The focus is on him making a full recovery so that when he comes back, it’s not a point that’s even talked about.”
Daniel Ricciardo secures 2024 F1 seat after extending AlphaTauri contract
Daniel Ricciardo has secured a contract extension at AlphaTauri alongside teammate Yuki Tsunoda for 2024. The new deal guaranteed Ricciardo a 14th season in the sport and bound his F1 comeback after six months on the sidelines following the disintegration of his McLaren career at the end of last year.
It also opens the door for the 34-year-old to resume his seat at Red Bull Racing in 2025 after Sergio Pérez’s contract expires at the end of next season.
“Following the progress we have already made and the plans for the future, it’s an exciting time for the team,” Ricciardo said in a statement released by AlphaTauri.
“We are building and it is a great feeling. There is a lot of work to do but we are heading in the right direction and there is a lot to look forward to.”
Do you think Liam Lawson will be able to eventually replace Daniel in the upcoming races? Please let us know in the comment section below!
