Daniel Ricciardo will attend choose grands prix as Pink Bull reserve driver for 2023 alongside simulator, tyre testing and business duties, says group principal Christian Horner.
Ricciardo signed with Pink Bull as a 3rd driver for 2023 after he was launched from his McLaren contract a yr early. He has beforehand pushed for Pink Bull groups AlphaTauri (initially often known as Toro Rosso) and Pink Bull’s senior group all through his first seven full seasons in Formulation 1.
Liam Lawson has been Pink Bull’s reserve driver since July. He’ll proceed in that function subsequent yr however can even race in Japan’s Tremendous Formulation collection, which means he won’t be obtainable to attend all rounds on the 2023 F1 calendar.
Pink Bull group principal Christian Horner mentioned that Ricciardo will take over reserve driver duties at choose rounds in 2023. “Daniel shall be attending some races the place clearly he’ll be our reserve driver for these occasions,” he instructed Speedcafe.
“He’ll in all probability do a little bit of tyre testing for us to assist with the Pirelli programme that will get distributed across the groups. He’ll be performing some work within the simulator. He’ll be doing all of these actions after which after all with the business calls for that we’ve got from the myriad of sponsors and companions that we’ve got – notably with the a lot larger presence within the US the place Daniel is now predominantly based mostly with three grands prix there subsequent yr – he’s going to have a busy agenda for the season forward.”
Horner mentioned Ricciardo had misplaced a few of his “ardour” for Formulation 1 via his disappointing 2022 marketing campaign with McLaren, however expects the driving force’s return to Pink Bull will assist reignite his love for the game. Nonetheless, Horner insists the group haven’t any plans to return him to one in all their race seats at this stage.
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“We had been shocked to see Daniel be out on the open market,” Horner mentioned. “So for us – having grown up with Pink Bull, having nurtured him since being a junior – it made sense for us to deliver him again into the fold.
“I believe that Daniel had fallen out of affection somewhat bit with Formulation 1. He’s had a few actually robust seasons, notably this yr. For him to play a supporting function to the race drivers as our third driver, each again right here on the manufacturing facility and at occasions with all of the business companions we’ve got – as probably the most recognisable faces presently in and round Formulation 1 – for us, it made numerous sense.
“Hopefully in that course of Daniel will rediscover his ardour for Formulation 1. However we definitely haven’t any plans to utilise him different in that third driver function to mix with the business actions that he’ll be performing.”
Pink Bull has additionally introduced one in all Ricciardo’s first duties shall be to conduct an indication run in one in all their vehicles on the Mount Panorama circuit through the Bathurst 12 Hours weekend in February. Jenson Button turned the primary driver to lap the observe which holds the famed Bathurst 1000 touring automobile race in a Formulation 1 automobile in 2011.
View the present checklist of 2023 F1 drivers and groups
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