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After the mid-season summer break, Daniel Ricciardo appears rejuvenated and ready to tackle the second half of the 2024 Formula 1 season. Ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday, the Australian driver was captured saluting turn #3 of the iconic Zandvoort circuit in a short video.
Ricciardo's return to F1 last year was marred by an unfortunate crash at the 2023 Dutch GP. In his previous outing at the circuit, the #3 driver collided with the barrier at turn 3 during the second Free Practice (FP2) session. Despite the safety features, the impact with the highly-banked barrier resulted in a broken left wrist. The news was confirmed by his team, Visa Cash App RB F1 (formerly Alpha Tauri), in a press release.
“An X-ray confirmed he sustained a break to a metacarpal on his left hand, and this injury will not allow him to continue his duties,” the team had announced.
Now, a year after the incident, Ricciardo has returned to Zandvoort. Refreshed from the summer break, he is likely looking to maximize the results this weekend.
As he navigated turn #3 during the first practice session, the 35-year-old saluted the corner that nearly derailed his comeback last year. The moment was captured and shared by his fan page on X.
Here's a look at the post, captioned,
"Daniel salutes Turn 3 on his out lap, where he crashed last year and broke his hand."
The aforementioned gesture was likely Ricciardo's way of saluting the marshals who aided him after last year's crash. With a challenging first half of the Formula 1 season thus far, he will undoubtedly be hoping for a smooth and incident-free Dutch Grand Prix weekend.
"I still know that performance is my best friend," - Daniel Ricciardo responds assertively despite the speculations of losing his 2025 drive with VCARB F1
Red Bull chief Helmut Marko made an unexpected revelation ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix. The Austrian confirmed Liam Lawson as one of their drivers for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
This announcement puts pressure on VCARB F1's Daniel Ricciardo and Red Bull Racing's Sergio Perez. Ahead of the first Free Practice (FP1) session, the Australian racer interacted with the media in the paddock.
“It’s okay. I still know that performance is my best friend. If I do what I’m capable of, it puts me in a good position to stay somewhere in the family next year," Ricciardo said, responding to Marko's announcement.
“Liam, I saw him drive the car last year. He did a great job and he’s worthy of a seat on the grid. In a way, I’m happy for him. He’s a deserving driver. What that means for me is unknown. If I perform, I’m sure they will find a spot for me somewhere,” he added.
With the Austrian team closely monitoring the performance of both Ricciardo and Perez, the former will undoubtedly be striving to maximize his results in the upcoming races.
