Mystery surrounds Daniel Ricciardo’s upcoming tyre test at Silverstone, with speculation growing about its potential impact on the Red Bull Racing driver lineup for the 2023 Formula 1 season. As Ricciardo prepares to get behind the wheel of the RB19 following the British Grand Prix, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko was evasive when asked if the test could determine the future of Nyck de Vries.
De Vries, signed to AlphaTauri after an impressive debut at the 2022 Italian Grand Prix, has faced challenges adapting to Formula 1. Despite his success in Formula E, the 28-year-old Dutch driver has yet to score a point in F1, with his best result being a 12th-place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix. He has been outperformed by his Japanese teammate in qualifying sessions and races.
Earlier this season, Marko stated that De Vries was on a “yellow card,” suggesting his position was under scrutiny. Speculation has now emerged that Ricciardo’s performance in the tyre test could influence Red Bull’s decision to potentially replace De Vries.
However, Marko remained non-committal when asked about the driver situation, emphasizing the need to focus on celebrating Red Bull Racing’s successes. He mentioned that no specific timeframe had been set for any decision regarding the driver lineup, and the team is currently sorting through various changes at AlphaTauri.
Pressed further about the significance of Ricciardo’s performance in the tyre test, Marko declined to provide further details, reiterating that a decision would be made after considering all factors.
While uncertainty looms over De Vries, there is a glimmer of hope for him. Marko recently revealed that Red Bull team boss Christian Horner initially opposed signing the Dutch driver, and Marko acknowledged that Horner’s reservations may have been valid. However, Marko also acknowledged that De Vries put in a stronger performance in Austria, despite finishing 17th compared to teammate Tsunoda’s 19th place.
As the Formula 1 community awaits further developments, the outcome of Ricciardo’s test and Red Bull Racing’s evaluation of their drivers will likely play a role in determining the team’s lineup for the 2023 season.
