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It is not always that speed is of the essence in Formula 1, a sport synonymous with the hustle and bustle. For the AlphaTauri team and their star driver, Daniel Ricciardo, patience has become the watchword. As Ricciardo's hand heals post-surgery following a break, the team has emphasized a "no rush" stance regarding his return to the cockpit, with the collective priority being a full recovery.
Ricciardo's injury required surgical intervention, where a metal plate and screws were installed to ensure bone stability. In the interim, Red Bull’s junior prodigy, Liam Lawson, has been taking the reins in Ricciardo's absence, showcasing his mettle at circuits like Zandvoort, Monza, and Marina Bay.
Simulator Sessions: A Step Towards Healing and Decision-making
Recently sighted in Singapore, Ricciardo's recovery journey still has some distance to cover. Sharing insights into this, Jonathan Eddolls, AlphaTauri’s Chief Race Engineer, remarked, “Well, we all saw him in Singapore.
He’s still going through that recovery phase. I wouldn’t want to put a target on it. The recovery is going well”. A crucial phase in Ricciardo’s rehabilitation journey is upcoming simulator sessions, serving dual purposes of both training and evaluation.
Responding to queries regarding the purpose of these sessions, Eddolls explained, “He’ll jump in, the simulator is a very good representation of the car, all of the loads”. Interestingly, the final verdict on Ricciardo's return won’t come from the management but from the driver himself.
Eddolls believes, “He will know better than anyone, how’s the pain, how’s the recovery. We’re not putting him under pressure to come back”. Amidst this backdrop, AlphaTauri’s commitment to Ricciardo's well-being is evident.
Eddolls reassured fans and the Formula 1 community, saying, “We’ve got a pool of three good drivers at the moment, so there’s no big rush. The focus is on him making a full recovery so that when he comes back, it’s not a point that’s even talked about”.