Daniel Ricciardo is under no delusion that his AlphaTauri AT04 will ‘going to have its limitations’ ahead of F1 return at Hungarian GP

Daniel Ricciardo addresses the facts about AT04 before returning to the F1 grid for the Hungarian GP showdown.


Daniel Ricciardo is under no delusion that his AlphaTauri AT04 will ‘going to have its limitations’ ahead of F1 return at Hungarian GP

AlphaTauri sits at the bottom of the standings after scoring only two points this season in what is likely the slowest racecar in the F1 grid. The team made the unexpected decision to alter their driver lineup before the summer break. As a result, Daniel Ricciardo is now slated to return to Formula One this weekend, taking over Nyck de Vries‘s seat as the Dutchman was ruthlessly fired after just 9 months of his rookie season.

On the Tuesday following the British GP, Red Bull’s third driver Ricciardo had taken to the tracks with the RB-19. He produced lap times impressive enough in the Pirelli testing for adviser Helmut Marko to determine he deserved a comeback. While everyone is overwhelmed at the news of the Honey Badger’s return, Daniel Ricciardo admitted he knows that life will not be a bed of roses for him now.

YouTube video

There are certain issues with the AlphaTauri AT04 that have kept them from advancing from their position at the back of the grid, and Daniel Ricciardo knows it. He said, “I appreciate the car is going to have its limitations. I’m sure it’s probably just lacking some overall downforce and things like this. But if it’s a car that feels balanced, it might not have as much grip as a Red Bull I drove a few days ago, but if it feels relatively balanced, then that’s something I can work with”.

FS Video

Related: Sergio Perez accepts defeat to Max Verstappen, switches goals from vying for the Championship to ‘being runner-up’ in F1 2023

Having earned an F1 entry once again, the only way for Daniel Ricciardo is now up

Daniel Ricciardo got pole position at the 2018 Mexican Grand Prix
Daniel Ricciardo got pole position at the 2018 Mexican Grand Prix [via Twitter]

The appointment of Daniel Ricciardo is a surprising news that has brought waves of joy over his hundreds of thousands of fans. With the Australian being one of the most favorite racers on the grid, thanks to his infectious smile and humorous nature, people had been rooting for him to make a resurgence after being ousted from McLaren last season due to poor results. But he got rescued by Red Bull as they offered him a reserve role, and now he is back to being a regular driver for AlphaTauri.

Depending upon the performance he delivers, Daniel Ricciardo need not stop at AlphaTauri as he can get a chance to take up the second seat at Red Bull too. The loan move to AlphaTauri from Red Bull will give him a perfect start to showcase his abilities to climb up the Red Bull hierarchy. Certainly, the only way Daniel can make a fairytale comeback to the world of F1 is through the solid performances which are yet to come from him starting from the Hungarian GP.

In case you missed it: