P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The ‘different purpose’ AlphaTauri is serving amid Perez doubts
Former Formula 1 driver Pedro de la Rosa believes that AlphaTauri’s decision to field Daniel Ricciardo is due to doubts over Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull. Despite winning two of the first four Grands Prix, Perez has struggled this season alongside Max Verstappen, allowing Verstappen to dominate the Drivers’ Championship. AlphaTauri made the surprising move to sign Ricciardo, who is 34 years old and beyond the usual age for a driver in Red Bull’s sister team. Perez’s contract with Red Bull expires at the end of next year, leading to speculation that he could be replaced by Ricciardo. According to de la Rosa, Ricciardo has been given a spot at AlphaTauri to keep him fresh in case he is brought back to Red Bull, as there are doubts about Perez’s future. Overall, de la Rosa believes that AlphaTauri is currently using their team for a different purpose than nurturing young drivers.
Source: RacingNews 365