Daniel Ricciardo returns to F1 as he replaces Nyck de Vries

Daniel Ricciardo will make his return to the F1 track at the Hungarian Grand Prix later this month after signing a short-term loan deal with AlphaTauri, replacing Nyck de Vries for the rest of the season.

After parting ways with McLaren last year, Ricciardo returned to his old team Red Bull as a reserve driver, and Red Bull will now loan the Australian to its sister team AlphaTauri for the remainder of the 2023 campaign.

De Vries has been dropped with immediate effect in the midst of a difficult season, as one of only two drivers on the grid who has failed to collect a single championship point.

Thirty-four-year-old Ricciardo’s first race for AlphaTauri will be at the Hungaroring in Budapest next Sunday, 23 July.

In a statement, Ricciardo said: “I’m stoked to be back on track with the Red Bull family!”

Scuderia AlphaTauri’s team principal, Franz Tost, added: “I’m very pleased to welcome Daniel back into the team. There’s no doubt about his driving skills, and he already knows many of us, so his integration will be easy and straight forward. The team will also profit a lot from his experience, as he is an eight-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner.

“I would like to thank Nyck for his valuable contribution during his time with Scuderia AlphaTauri and I wish him all the best for the future.”

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