Daniel Ricciardo makes his comeback at the United States Grand Prix

After a brief hiatus, Formula 1 fans have something to cheer about as Daniel Ricciardo is gearing up for his much-anticipated return at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

The 34-year-old Australian ace who would be starting 15th on the grid on Sunday's Grand Prix, has been absent from the racing scene, having missed five consecutive Grand Prix since a hand injury setback during practice for the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25th.

Red Bull took a cautious approach, opting not to rush Ricciardo's return and prioritizing his recovery over immediate racing commitments. They decided against having him compete in the previous event in Qatar, emphasizing the importance of not taking any undue risks with his injury.

Expressing his enthusiasm for his imminent return earlier in the week, Ricciardo shared a video update on Instagram. He stated, "Little update: the simulator's been going well, and my hand is feeling good to drive. Austin – everyone knows I love Austin. I wouldn't miss that one for the world. See y'all in Austin."

For Ricciardo, this will be only his third race since his comeback to the grid, which began at the Hungarian Grand Prix in July. The eight-time race winner initially kicked off the season as Red Bull's reserve driver, providing essential support to the team.

Looking ahead, it's confirmed that Ricciardo will continue his journey with AlphaTauri into the 2024 season. This move was made after his return to the team following an extensive tenure with McLaren, which came to an end in 2022, a year before his contract concluded.

Ricciardo was brought back into the Formula 1 scene after just 10 races of this season, as Red Bull GmbH decided to part ways with Dutchman Nyck de Vries. Although De Vries was signed for his maiden F1 season with AlphaTauri this year, Red Bull was dissatisfied with his performance, leading to Ricciardo's return.

During his absence, New Zealander Liam Lawson stepped in as a substitute for Ricciardo in the Netherlands, Italy, Singapore, Japan, and Qatar. His impressive performance earned him a role as AlphaTauri's reserve driver for the upcoming season.

SportsLigue