As Daniel Ricciardo returns to Formula 1 action with AlphaTauri, he is accompanied by his former teammate Lando Norris, who currently drives for McLaren. The two drivers have a history together, having been teammates at McLaren before Ricciardo’s move to AlphaTauri.
Ricciardo’s return to the grid comes after Red Bull decided to replace Nyck de Vries, who struggled in his rookie season with AlphaTauri. Impressed by Ricciardo’s performance in a Pirelli tire test at Silverstone, Red Bull appointed him to the seat for the rest of the 2023 F1 season.
Ricciardo’s previous stint with McLaren was challenging, and his performance did not meet expectations, leading to an early end to his contract. Now, he faces the new challenge of driving the AlphaTauri AT04, considered one of the slower cars on the grid in 2023.
On the other hand, Norris and McLaren are coming off a strong performance at Silverstone, with Norris leading laps and securing a P2 finish. However, the Hungaroring’s slower sections could pose a challenge for McLaren, as it has traditionally been a weak point for their car.
Both Ricciardo and Norris will face pressure and scrutiny as they compete in the Hungarian Grand Prix. Fans and the F1 world will be closely watching to see how Ricciardo performs in his return and if McLaren can continue their momentum at the Hungarian circuit.
