P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Daniel Ricciardo made an unexpected return to Formula 1 midway through last year’s campaign with AlphaTauri, but the move was originally objected to by Red Bull.
AlphaTauri CEO Peter Bayer has revealed that Red Bull initially opposed Daniel Ricciardo’s mid-season return last year. After the British Grand Prix, AlphaTauri announced that Ricciardo would replace Nyck de Vries at the team. De Vries had struggled alongside Yuki Tsunoda and was dropped after just 10 races. Ricciardo returned to Red Bull in a third driver role, providing a route back to the grid with AlphaTauri. Initially, Red Bull rejected the idea, but after discussions, they agreed to give him a test at Silverstone. Ricciardo’s impact on the team was hailed, as he brought energy and experience, helping with setup and serving as a reference for Tsunoda. He will continue with AlphaTauri this year, alongside Tsunoda.
