Daniel Ricciardo’s return to the Formula One grid with AlphaTauri has sparked excitement within the Red Bull team. Team principal Christian Horner expressed his anticipation to see what Ricciardo can bring to AlphaTauri as he begins his loan spell.

The news of Ricciardo’s return came on Tuesday, following the decision to release Nyck de Vries from the team with immediate effect. Ricciardo had already showcased his abilities on the track during a Pirelli tyre test at Silverstone, where he impressed with his performance, posting a time that would have secured him a place on the front row of the grid for the British Grand Prix.

Marko: We needed to evaluate Ricciardo

In an interview with ORF, Marko mentioned last month that Daniel Ricciardo will test with Red Bull for three days after the Silverstone race for a tyre test organised by Pirelli. Marko explained, “Then we can evaluate: Where is Ricciardo really at?”

After qualifying in Canada, Marko had already hinted at the team’s focus on Verstappen, saying,

“We only have one Max.” Now, when speaking about Perez, Marko’s comments seem to hint at a potential departure:

“His initial goal was two or three years. That would be more than he planned anyway. You just have to keep options open for the successor.”

It appears that Ricciardo has satisfied the performance requirement on just day one of the testing. With this week being that of an ‘evaluation’, perhaps the ultimate goal is further evaluation at AlphaTauri with a view to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull racing?

Horner: Ricciardo hasn’t lost his speed

Horner commented on Ricciardo’s move, stating, “It’s great to see that Daniel hasn’t lost any form away from the race and that the progress he’s made in his SIM sessions is translating onto the track.”

He further praised Ricciardo’s competitive times during the tyre test, describing his drive as “extremely impressive.” with a time good enough for the front row in Sunday’s British Grand Prix.

The team is eagerly looking forward to witnessing Ricciardo’s performance on loan at Scuderia AlphaTauri for the remainder of the season.

READ MORE: Ricciardo replaces De Vries with immediate effect

Daniel Ricciardo move to AlphaTauri

Ricciardo has previous experience with AlphaTauri, having driven for the team when it was known as Toro Rosso from 2012 to 2013. Following his successful stint, he was promoted to Red Bull’s senior squad in 2014 after Mark Webber’s retirement from Grand Prix racing.

Ricciardo achieved seven victories over the next five years before departing for Renault at the end of 2018. However, he faced challenges adapting to the McLaren team and was eventually replaced by Oscar Piastri for the 2023 season due to continued underperformance.

As Ricciardo embarks on his new chapter with AlphaTauri, fans and the Red Bull team will be eagerly watching to see how he revitalizes his career and contributes to the team’s performance. Perez at Red Bull Racing will be looking over his shoulder.

READ MORE: Leclerc lambasts Ferrari “totally useless”

Introducing the honey badger 🍯🦡

Daniel Ricciardo made his #F1 debut 12 years ago today at Silverstone 🙌#BritishGP @danielricciardo pic.twitter.com/Zv7A99fSia

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 10, 2023