Martin Brundle surprised by Daniel Ricciardo's 'risky' return to Formula 1 with AlphaTauri

Former Formula 1 driver and veteran Sky Sports F1 broadcaster, Martin Brundle, expressed his astonishment at Daniel Ricciardo's decision to make a comeback in the sport with AlphaTauri.

The announcement came on Tuesday, revealing that Ricciardo would be replacing the embattled Nyck de Vries alongside Yuki Tsunoda for the remainder of the 2023 season. This move marks the Australian's return to the grid after losing his McLaren seat at the end of 2022.

Despite Ricciardo previously stating his desire for a top-tier team to consider his return to Grand Prix racing, he now finds himself driving what has been the worst-performing car of 2023, with a mere two points to its name.

Brundle, known for his insightful commentary, believes that Ricciardo's return is surprising but acknowledges the positive impact he brings to the sport. "I'm really pleased to see him back, but my honest reaction was: 'Wow. Daniel's going to do that, is he?' It surprised me," Brundle candidly shared with Sky Sports News.

Ricciardo has frequently mentioned his loss of motivation and the need to rediscover his passion for the sport. Brundle speculates that there may be additional elements to the deal that influenced Ricciardo's decision. "Unless there's another deal that goes with it, a 'You do this and then down the road, we'll do that'," Brundle pondered.

Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Brundle noted the risk Ricciardo is taking by joining what is arguably the slowest car on the grid. He believes that Ricciardo must outperform his teammate, Tsunoda, both in qualifying and the races. "He's got to beat Tsunoda, he's absolutely got to. He needs to edge him in qualifying and in the races; that's an absolute expectation," Brundle emphasized.

While Brundle acknowledges the high stakes involved, he also recognizes that Ricciardo's presence on the grid adds vibrancy to Formula 1. "My overriding feeling here is Formula 1 feels a better place when Daniel Ricciardo's on the grid, and I hated seeing him having to loiter around all weekend," Brundle confessed.

As the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring approaches, all eyes will be on Ricciardo as he embraces this new challenge on Sunday, 23 July.