Daniel Ricciardo is set for a return to track action with Red Bull, as team motorsport advisor Helmut Marko confirmed he would take the wheel of the RB19 at the upcoming British Grand Prix at Silverstone to “evaluate” his pace.
“We will have Ricciardo in the car for three days after Silverstone at the tyre test and then you can evaluate where Ricciardo really stands,” Marko said.
Ricciardo has served dutifully as a reserve driver for the team that he came through the ranks with, working in the simulator and doing media duties for the team through 2023.
After leaving Red Bull in 2019 to escape the shadow of an emerging Max Verstappen, Ricciado saw two years at both Renault and McLaren before being unceremoniously dumped last year for Aussie rookie Oscar Piastri.
Not wanting to sign with a backmarker, Ricciardo forewent the 2023 season, instead opting to return to Red Bull as a reserve, and has since spoken out about his hunger to return to the sport.
The Silverstone test has been locked in for a long time, with Ricciardo previously saying he saw it as an opportunity to remind the grid of his abilities.
“I’ve been in the simulator, but I will drive the RB19 (for the first time) in July after the Silverstone race,” Ricciardo told ESPN earlier in the year.
“Then maybe I’ll get another one after Monza as well in September.
“I’m certainly excited to drive a fast car, but also a car that maybe still feels familiar to me – it does a little bit in the sim.
“But I’m just excited to drive again and to just try to remind a team obviously I once had a lot of success with that I can still turn a fast lap.”
It comes as Max Verstappen extends his lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 69 points over Sergio Perez, with the Mexican looking largely uncompetitive through the year, and marred with mechanical issues when he has.
With Perez in this third season as a Red Bull driver, and looking like the latest casualty in a revolving door of drivers unable to play nice with the divisive Verstappen as a teammate, Marko said the team were always looking at the future, but prioritised the two-time World Champion Dutchman.
“We have only one Max (Verstappen),” he said.
“ (Perez’) initial target was two, three years, which would be more than he planned anyway, and you just have to keep options open for the succession,” Marko added.
Formula One heads to the Styrian countryside for the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring this week before heading to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix.
