Ricciardo praises Tsunoda’s state of mind: “We pushed each other a little”

Sometimes it is the youngest who come to the aid of the more experienced. In 2023, Daniel Ricciardo leaned on his teammate Yuki tsunoda to quickly get back into rhythm Formula 1. The Australian, on the sidelines at the start of the year after his failed experience at McLaren, was offered an almost unexpected chance, whenAlpha Tauri called on him to replace Nyck de Vries during the championship.

The eight-time Grand Prix winner had to immediately get back into the swing of things last July, without any real driving since the end of 2022. Only a short day of testing with Red Bull allowed him to keep some sensations behind the wheel of an F1 before returning to the grid, during the Hungarian GP. Despite his absence for several weeks this fall, due to a fractured wrist that occurred during EL2 in Zandvoort (Netherlands), Daniel Ricciardo was able to shine at the end of the season by scoring valuable points for his team. Speed ​​and morale regained thanks in particular to the help of his Japanese teammate.

“I wasn't there for the first part of the season, but the way the team progressed through the developments – I'd like to think Yuki and I pushed each other a little bit and that it was positive for the team, said Daniel Ricciardo, optimistic about his team's 2024 campaign. I think the team can look forward to a lot for next year. A seventh place [in the 2023 Constructors' Championship] would have been good, but a few races before we were talking about not finishing last! So seventh place was a kind of bonus. And that gives us a little more desire to fight next year. »

Towards a Ricciardo – Tsunoda duel for a Red Bull seat?

The two teammates from the Italian team – whose official name for 2024 still remains a mystery – should benefit from increased technical support from Red Bull to help the Faenza team progress in the hierarchy. Also a way to better judge the two drivers, legitimate candidates for the second Red Bull seat which could be abandoned by Sergio Pérez at the end of the season. If Daniel Ricciardo, through his experience and his marketing assets, would hold the rope, Yuki Tsunoda still has a whole season to turn the tide and appear as the best element in the Austrian fold.

ALSO READ > Max Verstappen wants to see Mugello back on the calendar