Daniel Ricciardo could make shock return to the F1 grid this season with Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri

Australian Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo could return to the grid this season, while AlphaTauri is on the verge of sacking their struggling rookie driver Nyck de Vries.

Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko has reportedly given De Vries an ultimatum to either improve his performance by June or be replaced.

Ricciardo, the third driver for both Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri, is being considered as a possible replacement for the 28-year-old Dutchman.

If the move goes through, the Australian driver would return to AlphaTauri, where he previously raced for two seasons in 2012 and 2013 before moving to Red Bull Racing.

It comes after Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said at the Australian GP that Ricciardo was 10 minutes away from returning to F1.

Ricciardo’s near future hinges on the form of rookie AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries, who has been given an ultimatum to perform or perish

Ricciardo joined Red Bull as a reserve driver this year after a messy split from McLaren, which meant he also signed up as a reserve driver for AlphaTauri.

Meanwhile, the Aussie has given a timeline for when he will get behind the wheel of Red Bull’s dominant RB19 car, as the Australian ruled out the prospect of becoming the team’s third long-term driver.

The 33-year-old stepped away from the F1 grid at the end of last season after a miserable season at McLaren during which he was replaced by compatriot Oscar Piastri.

A return to Red Bull soon followed, where Ricciardo had to watch from a distance as Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez face each other for the world championship.

But as part of his third driver role, Ricciardo will get behind the wheel of the Red Bull car this year, revealing he will take to the track after the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

“I’ve been in the simulator, but I’m going to drive the RB19 [for the first time] in July after the race at Silverstone,” the eight-time Grand Prix winner told ESPN.

“Maybe I’ll get another one after Monza in September.”

Ricciardo took up a reserve driver position at Red Bull this season but has yet to have a run in the all-conquering RB19

That’s all due to change at the Silverstone Grand Prix – provided he isn’t racing for Alpha Tauri by then

“I’m certainly excited to drive a fast car, but also in a car that might still feel familiar to me – that does a bit in the sim. But I’m just excited to be riding again and just trying to remind a team that I’ve had a lot of success with that once, that I can still do a fast lap,” he continued.

The 33-year-old added that he has “unfinished business” in F1 and plans to return to the grid immediately.

“I’m definitely still in a really good place – I’m very happy with this,” he said of his role as reserve driver in 2023.

“Does that mean I’m happy to do this for the next two or three years?” Probably not. But I think for this year it’s definitely a good thing for me.

“At the moment I want to be back on the grid next year. I feel like there’s definitely some unfinished business. I stay informed and stay prepared and whatever.”