Why Daniel Ricciardo Coming To AlphaTauri Is A Positive For Yuki Tsunoda

The news has broken that Daniel Ricciardo is replacing Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri for the remaining 2023 season. Ricciardo will join the Red Bull sister team from the Hungarian Grand Prix. It is a full circle for Ricciardo as he returns to the team that gave him his start in Formula One. It means that his teammate will be young Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda. The 23-year-old has taken a step forward this year and could be a future Red Bull driver. There has been a lot of talk about Red Bull evaluating Ricciardo for a potential seat in the senior team. Yet, it could also be the perfect time to compare Tsunoda to a great teammate like Ricciardo.

Why Ricciardo Is A Good Measuring Stick for Tsunoda?

The Australian made his name for his late braking style and flashy overtakes. His early career should that he has brilliant pace in a racing car. He hit the ground running when he jumped to the Red Bull senior team in 2014, replacing fellow Aussie Mark Webber. The 34-year-old beat his teammate Sebastian Vettel in 2014. Furthermore, he took home three victories in Canada, Belgium, and Hungry that season. One of the more memorable moments from Ricciardo's career is his famous redemption story at the Monaco Grand Prix in 2018. The win was even more impressive as Ricciardo's Red Bull lacked power for most of the race. It shows how good he is at adapting, which is an essential skill in F1. After leaving the Austrian-based constructer, he raced for Renault and McLaren. His time with Renault was successful, whereas his time with McLaren was not, resulting in him leaving the grid. Ricciardo became Red Bull's third driver at the start of the 2023 season. Per reports, Ricciardo's performances on the simulator and in tyre tests have been very promising. Due to these strong outings, he got an opportunity with AphaTauri. What this means for Tsunoda is that he has a solid driver to compare himself to. Ricciardo obviously has immense talent and is a good measuring stick for the young driver.

How Good Is Tsunoda?

Tsunoda has had a couple of up-and-down years in F1, with many high points but low ones as well. The Japanese driver stormed through the junior categories with his blistering pace. He got a promotion to AlphaTauri for the 2021 season. He showed off his speed during his rookie year but was involved in many incidents. In his second season, Tsunoda started to refine his skills; he matched up very well against his teammate at the time Pierre Gasly. The second year showed promise, yet this season is when he took a significant step forward. His consistency shows his improvements, and he is putting in solid performances in all different types of tracks. It has left many people wondering if he will get a promotion to the senior team down the line.

Is It A Shootout For The Red Bull Seat?

It is hard to tell what Red Bull thinks about next year's second seat. If the old Ricciardo is back, then Red Bull will jump at the chance to have him. He is one of the most beloved drivers in F1 history. From a marketing aspect, it would be the best idea for Ricciardo to take the seat as it could help the team financially. However, there is a real chance that Ricciardo won’t return to his old form. If this is true, Tsunoda could be a good option as he is becoming a more well-rounded driver and has many years to grow. Whoever wins in their teammate battle will put themselves in good stead with Red Bull.

It will be interesting to see how the season will play out at AlphaTauri, but whatever happens, Red Bull will keep a close eye on the two drivers.