‘Getting back into Red Bull and family, I feel so much at home’
I knew I wasn’t done but there was no guarantee I would be offered a seat again DANIEL RICCIARDO
Las Vegas, United States - After being a motor racing nomad, Daniel Ricciardo says being back in the Red Bull stable with Formula One’s newest team, the now-rebranded Visa Cash App RB, has been like coming home.
Ricciardo won seven races while at Red Bull from 2014 to 2018. Last year he joined the Red Bull-owned Alphatauri team, and he is now tipped as a possible replacement for Mexican Sergio Perez to partner world champion Max Verstappen in 2025.
“Getting back into Red Bull and the family, I feel so much at home, so the truth is this is where I want to be,” Ricciardo told Reuters. “I am embracing it a lot more because a year ago I was unsure if I would race Formula One ever again ...”
“Deep down I knew I wasn’t done but there was no guarantee I would be offered a seat again.”
For now, a new name, look and sponsors have fuelled new ambitions of moving up the grid for Ricciardo and his Japanese team mate Yuki Tsunoda.
Visa Cash App RB completed its makeover on Thursday with a splashy launch of its new livery, smack in the middle of Super Bowl week. “I think it is a year when the team takes that step and (is) not seen as a Red Bull junior team anymore,” said
Ricciardo, who is an NFL fan and attended last year’s Super Bowl but will miss Sunday’s as he prepares for testing.
“It’s a team that is going to stand on its own two feet and hopefully make some noise.”
While it is still a little over three weeks until the roar of engines is heard at the season opener in Bahrain, there has been plenty of buzz in the F1 world.