Ricciardo confirms official F1 return date

Matthew Hobkinson
Saturday 14 October 2023 18:57

Daniel Ricciardo has confirmed that he will make his return to Formula 1 at the upcoming United States Grand Prix.

The Australian has been out of action since a crash during practice at the Dutch Grand Prix left him with a broken bone in his left hand.

The man who was brought in to replace the outgoing Nyck de Vries earlier in the season, therefore needed replacing himself.

In stepped reserve driver Liam Lawson, who has impressed during his short time behind the wheel of his AlphaTauri.

Ricciardo confirms F1 return

Yet now it looks like the New Zealander's fifth race in Qatar last weekend will be his last for this season, after Ricciardo confirmed he will be back at the Circuit of the Americas next weekend.

In a brief response to being asked whether he was set to return in Texas, the 34-year-old said (via The Athletic): "Yeah I’m back. I’m excited."

Ricciardo will now be looking to get back into the groove when he hits the track in Austin.

The Honey Badger will have just five races until the end of the season to showcase his skills and show exactly why AlphaTauri decided to hand him a seat on the grid for 2024.

Ricciardo will be joined by Yuki Tsunoda next year, with Lawson returning to his role as a reserve driver.

READ MORE: What Lawson's F1 future holds after dazzling AlphaTauri showcase