Daniel Ricciardo Exceeds Expectations on F1 Comeback with AlphaTauri

Red Bull's Christian Horner has praised Daniel Ricciardo for exceeding expectations on his Formula 1 comeback with AlphaTauri. Ricciardo, who was Red Bull's third driver after leaving McLaren, was brought in to replace Nyck de Vries for the Hungarian Grand Prix. In his two races before the summer break, the Australian driver has shown that he has regained his competitive edge.

In Hungary, Ricciardo outqualified his teammate Yuki Tsunoda and showcased his skills by driving back to 13th place after dropping to the rear of the field due to a start melee. However, in Belgium, he struggled to make a similar comeback as the team couldn't find a way to get him out of traffic. Despite this, Ricciardo's performance in the sprint race highlighted the progress being made by AlphaTauri.

Christian Horner expressed his satisfaction with Ricciardo's performance, stating that he had met all expectations set by Red Bull and AlphaTauri. Horner also highlighted the experience and direction that Ricciardo brings to the team as a grand prix winner.

AlphaTauri's technical director Jody Egginton acknowledged the challenges faced by Ricciardo in Belgium, as he spent a significant portion of the race in traffic. However, Egginton believes that Ricciardo's strong performance in the sprint race indicates progress being made by the team. Team boss Franz Tost echoed this sentiment, stating that once Ricciardo becomes more familiar with the car and tires, he will do an excellent job.

Ricciardo himself expressed satisfaction with how his comeback campaign has started, considering the limited time he has had in the car so far. He believes that having these two races before the summer break will be advantageous for him when the season resumes in August.

Overall, Daniel Ricciardo's return to Formula 1 with AlphaTauri has been impressive. He has showcased his skills, resilience, and ability to adapt quickly to a new team and car. With more time and experience, Ricciardo is expected to continue making progress and contribute significantly to AlphaTauri's success in the future.