Daniel Ricciardo is hoping to turn his short-term revival with Alpha Tauri into a full-time Formula One return, Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner says.
Eight-time grand prix winner Ricciardo has been brought in to replace Nyck de Vries at Red Bull’s junior team for the rest of the season, beginning in Hungary on Sunday.
But, while he is fully focused on the job in hand, the 34-year-old West Australian can also put himself in pole position for a seat with the world’s leading constructor when Sergio Perez’s contract comes to an end in 2024.
Two-time world champion Max Verstappen is the undisputed lead driver at Red Bull, but No.2 Perez’s form has slumped after a strong start to the season.
The Mexican has failed to reach the top 10 in qualifying for the last five races, and he can’t blame his car. Teammate Verstappen has taken pole in each of them.
The popular Ricciardo lost his seat with McLaren at the end of last season, joining Red Bull as a third driver for the current campaign.
“Daniel firmly wants to be pitching for that 2025 Red Bull,” Horner told the official F1 Nation Hungarian GP preview podcast.
“That’s his golden objective, and by going to Alpha Tauri he sees that as his best route of stating his case.
“At the moment, there’s only something in place until the end of the season. We’ve loaned him to Alpha Tauri to the end of the year.
“Our drivers are going to be Max and Checo (Perez) again next year, but it’s always good to have talent in reserve.”
Ricciardo drove for Alpha Tauri – then known as Toro Rosso – at the start of his career in 2012 and 2013, and impressed Horner on his return to the track for testing in the wake of the recent British Grand Prix.
“What impressed me the most when I went up to have a look at the test was, bearing in mind he hasn’t been in a car for seven months, within his third or fourth lap, he was down to a time that was within a second of what our drivers were achieving,” the Red Bull boss said.