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Daniel Ricciardo
- Team RB
- Nation Australia
- Date of birth 01/07/1989
- Place of birth Perth, Australia
- Debut Great Britain, 2011 (HRT)
Daniel Ricciardo didn’t get the gap year in 2023 that he craved, but his seven-race cameo with AlphaTauri was a decent consolation prize. He got to remove the race rust and remind everyone (including himself) what he can do, all in a low-pressure environment. Now, though, the stakes are higher.
Coming back halfway through a season in what was (then) the sport’s slowest car was a free swing for a driver who – remarkably – turns 35 this July. The really good days – like qualifying fourth in an AlphaTauri in Mexico – were met with a raised eyebrow in the paddock and a broader than usual smile from the man himself.
If Sergio Perez’s form swoon lingers and Red Bull loses patience, Ricciardo is the logical replacement. If that doesn’t happen, scratching his competitive itch in a team looking to move forward – while embracing a leadership role – is a smaller, still satisfying, outcome.
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