P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Daniel Ricciardo claims that the newly rebranded RB squad is a Formula 1 team “that’s standing on their own two
The Faenza-based camp joined the Red Bull family when Dietrich Mateschitz acquired Minardi and formed Toro Rosso in 2006 as a platform for young Red Bull drivers like Vettel, Ricciardo, and Verstappen. However, since Toro Rosso rebranded as AlphaTauri in 2020, no driver has been promoted to Red Bull, signaling a shift away from being a feeder team. Ricciardo expressed that AlphaTauri’s transformation into RB marks a new chapter where the team is standing independently and aiming for competitiveness in its own right. Despite the changes, there is controversy in the F1 community with McLaren CEO Zak Brown criticizing the shared ownership between Red Bull and RB, citing concerns about fairness in the sport. Ricciardo, returning to Red Bull for the 2023 season, sees the new opportunity with enthusiasm, experiencing a sense of fulfillment and optimism for the year ahead while acknowledging the uncertainty of performance early on.