AlphaTauri Provides Update on Ricciardo's Recovery and Return to Racing

Daniel Ricciardo // Red Bull Content Pool, Getty Images

AlphaTauri has given an update on the recovery of their driver, Daniel Ricciardo, following his broken hand. The team emphasized that ensuring Ricciardo's complete recovery is their top priority, and there will be “no rush” in pushing him back into the cockpit.

Daniel Ricciardo faced an unfortunate turn of events when, shortly after stepping in as a replacement for Nyck de Vries mid-season, he incurred a broken metacarpal during a practice crash at the Dutch Grand Prix. The incident immediately side-lined him. Post-incident, Ricciardo was treated surgically, receiving a metal plate and screws to mend the fracture. In his absence, Red Bull's junior talent, Liam Lawson, took over driving responsibilities at Zandvoort, Monza, and Marina Bay circuits.

Although Ricciardo was present during the recent Singapore event, primarily engaged in engineering responsibilities, his return to active racing appears to be a distant prospect. Sharing insights on Ricciardo’s progress, Jonathan Eddolls, AlphaTauri’s Chief Race Engineer stated, “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.”

Daniel Ricciardo are still healing from his injuries // Red Bull Content Pool, Getty Images

Eddolls further highlighted that there are plans for Ricciardo to undergo simulator work before considering an actual race return. “The simulator is a very good representation of the car, all of the loads. I think the final decision is more than likely going to come from him rather than from us. He will know better than anyone, how’s the pain, how’s the recovery, so as I said, we’re not putting him under pressure to come back,” Eddolls added.

Discussing AlphaTauri’s driver lineup, Eddolls mentioned, “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.”

Following the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix, the 2023 F1 circuit will be headed to Qatar from October 6-8. The race schedule then features a triple-header in the United States (October 20-22), Mexico (October 27-29), and Brazil (November 3-5).