Ricciardo backed by Horner
Red Bull team principal would have Aussie driving
RED Bull team principal Christian Horner says if he was in charge at Alpine, Daniel Ricciardo would have a seat on the Formula One grid next season.
Horner was at the helm when Ricciardo drove for Red Bull from 2014-18, before the Aussie defected to Renault once it became clear Max Verstappen was the favoured driver at Milton Keynes.
The West Australian drove strongly at Renault for two seasons before switching to Mclaren, where the wheels have fallen off his Formula One career and he now finds himself without a seat for 2023.
Alpine – formerly Renault – is still in the hunt for a driver to fill the seat of the outgoing Fernando Alonso and though Ricciardo was initially linked to his former team that talk has cooled, with a host of names including rookie Australian Jack Doohan now vying for a start opposite Esteban Ocon.
Speaking on the F1: Beyond The Grid podcast, Horner said Ricciardo was still a driver capable of taking wins and podiums and if he was at Alpine, that spare seat would go to the Aussie driver.
“I think I probably would (go with Ricciardo) to be honest with you,” Horner said.
“They obviously know him from a couple of seasons ago and he was very together during his last season there, scoring podiums, and I think he’s the type of guy that, I think you could rebuild him.
“It’s obviously not been a great experience for him (at Mclaren) for whatever reason but you just have to think back to some of the drives that he did for us, some of the wins he had, the podiums, some of the stunning overtakes he was capable off … that’s still in there I’m sure, he just needs a bit of a reset.
“You don’t just forget how to deliver so I hope for him he gets another opportunity and gets himself back on the grid for next year.”
Ricciardo returned home to Perth to refresh ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix next weekend. He told News Corp this week he still does not have a contract for next season but that he was “at peace with whatever the outcome is.”
Another Aussie on Horner’s mind is young rookie
Oscar Piastri, who will take Ricciardo’s place at Mclaren in 2023.
The 21-year-old is finally free of the contract saga between Alpine and Mclaren for his services and Horner revealed he had regrets over not chasing the Formula 3 and
Formula 2 champion to drive at Red Bull. “There was an opportunity for Red Bull to look at him and we didn’t take up that option which is something I regret. What he went on to achieve is phenomenal, in Formula 3 and Formula 2,” Horner said.