Christian Horner, the head of Red Bull Racing, anticipates that Daniel Ricciardo will aim to make a comeback in Formula One at the Singapore Grand Prix on September 17th. This follows Ricciardo's hand injury sustained from crashing his AlphaTauri car during Friday's practice session for the Dutch Grand Prix. The injury is expected to sideline him not only for the upcoming race in Monza but also for an unspecified duration.
Red Bull's reserve driver, Liam Lawson, will step in for Ricciardo and make his debut in the sister team.
Ricciardo has traveled to Spain to consult with Dr. Javier Mir, the same specialist who aided Lance Stroll in racing despite a wrist injury earlier in the season. Horner commented on the situation, noting the resilience of motorsport athletes in recovering quickly from injuries. While a typical person might require around 10 to 12 weeks to recover from such an injury, these athletes tend to heal faster. The exact recovery timeline for Ricciardo remains uncertain.
The timing of this injury is unfortunate for Ricciardo, who had only recently returned to Formula One with AlphaTauri, having been dropped by McLaren at the end of the previous season. He replaced Nyck de Vries starting from the Hungarian Grand Prix and was slated to compete until the end of the year. His goal was to eventually return to Red Bull's senior team, but this injury puts those plans on hold.
Horner empathized with Ricciardo's frustration, as he had just regained his momentum in the sport. The injury offers a significant opportunity for Lawson, who was already being considered for an AlphaTauri drive. Ricciardo's decision to return with AlphaTauri was partially influenced by the possibility of Lawson taking a permanent spot in the team, potentially closing the door on Ricciardo's chances for the future.