Ricciardo managed to discover a set-up breakthrough after his first common grand prix weekend again from his five-race harm lay-off and put the AlphaTauri fourth on the grid for the Mexico Metropolis occasion.
He backed that up by operating within the prime 5 for the primary half of the race, with an sadly timed purple flag resulting in him dropping again to seventh on the end.
The AlphaTauri’s competitiveness, which Yuki Tsunoda additionally displayed earlier than clashing with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, warrants a phrase of warning as it’s considered largely circuit particular.
The Faenza squad may deploy its wonderful mechanical grip on the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez whereas being punished much less for its draggy automotive.
However nonetheless Ricciardo confirmed a primary glimpse of the sort of kind and confidence paying homage to his Purple Bull days, one thing which did not go unnoticed on the staff.
“It’s nice to see Daniel performing so effectively and it totally endorses the explanation why we introduced him again into AlphaTauri simply previous to the summer time break,” stated Purple Bull staff principal Horner.
“I assumed he was excellent this weekend preventing a Mercedes in an AlphaTauri. Had it not been for the purple flag, he would have most likely completed additional up.
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“An incredible efficiency from him and positively, it regarded just like the Daniel of {old}.”
Picture by: Purple Bull Content material Pool
Daniel Ricciardo, AlphaTauri
Horner dismissed ideas that Ricciardo was nonetheless restricted by the kind of F1 automotive he can excel in, saying his curtailed McLaren stint was a psychological battle greater than anything.
“That’s a little bit of a fallacy to say,” he stated. “I believe that this sport is as a lot within the head as it’s wherever else and I believe he’s again to his {old} self.
“You possibly can see he’s relaxed, he’s assured and he got here into the weekend totally motivated after a tough Austin.
“Take a look at the delta to Max [Verstappen] as effectively. It was lower than a tenth to Max. A outstanding efficiency by him.”
Ricciardo’s breakthrough consequence for AlphaTauri got here in a race the place Purple Bull’s Sergio Perez, who occupies the seat Ricciardo is chasing, took himself out in an bold three-wide overtake within the first nook.
However Horner, who publicly defended Perez’s actions, batted away any connection between the 2 very contrasting race outcomes, even when his dedication to Perez was phrased much less watertight than earlier feedback he made concerning the Mexican’s future.
“Checo has an settlement with us for subsequent yr and that’s our intention, for him to be within the automotive in 2024,” Horner fastidiously said.
“We’ll give him all of the assist we are able to to make sure that he finishes second [in the drivers’ standings] however there’s no prerequisite that if he doesn’t end second, you’re out.”