Daniel Ricciardo guaranteed F1 seat in 2024 after extending contract with AlphaTauri along with rising Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda

Injured Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo will extend his career until 2024 after joining AlphaTauri next season.

Ricciardo made his debut with Red Bull’s sister team this season after AlphaTauri fired Dutch driver Nyck de Vries due to a series of underperformance.

Now the team has confirmed he will continue in 2024, despite impressive performances from New Zealand reserve driver Liam Lawson this year.

Ricciardo said he was ‘excited’ to drive Yuki again next year and continue the journey with AlphaTauri

“Given the progress we have already made and the plans for the future, it is an exciting time for the team,” he said.

“We’re building and it’s a great feeling. There is still a lot of work to be done, but we are moving in the right direction and there is a lot to look forward to. Bring on 2024.’

Ricciardo behind the wheel during the Dutch Grand Prix, the last time he took to the track this season before his injury

Ricciardo has not raced since the end of July after suffering a broken metacarpal bone in his left hand during training at the Dutch Grand Prix.

He had completed just two races in Hungary and Belgium before the summer holidays, giving Lawson the chance to strengthen his claims for a 2024 seat.

However, AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost said Ricciardo’s “personal attitude and racing experience will be valuable assets in 2024.”

“Next year the technical regulations will remain largely unchanged and it was therefore logical to also aim for continuity in our driver line-up,” said team boss Franz Tost.

‘I am very happy with the development Yuki has shown with our team over the last two and a half years and with Daniel’s great race-winning experience we will have one of the most competitive driver combinations on the grid in 2024.

‘Peter (Bayer, the new CEO of AlphaTauri) and Laurent (Mekies, the new team boss of AlphaTauri) will have a great duo to guide the new season.

“As for Liam, who has impressed everyone in his races so far, he will certainly help the team in his development role as a third driver, and I am sure he will soon have a future in Formula 1.”

A broken hand has ruled Ricciardo out of the last two Grand Prix events and he has also been ruled out of Asia

Kiwi driver Liam Lawson is the reserve driver at AlphaTauri and is also claiming a seat in 2024

Ricciardo assisted with the engineering in Singapore and will test his hand in the simulator before Qatar

Ricciardo previously drove for AlphaTauri when the team was called Toro Rosso in 2012 and 2013 and has since achieved eight Grand Prix victories.

The Australian star was back in Singapore last weekend to help with the team’s technical processes, but his injury has ruled him out of both races in Asia.

He could return to Qatar, but AlphaTauri’s track engineering chief Jonathan Eddolls said he would not be rushed back.

“The recovery is going well,” Eddolls said.

‘We have some simulator work planned before we return.

“On our part and on his part, there is no rush to bring him back too early.

“The worst thing would be to come back before it’s properly healed and cause problems.”

Ricciardo will undergo a simulator test before Qatar to test his hand and then a decision will be made on his availability.

“The simulator gives a very good representation of the car, all the loads, etc.,” Eddolls said.

“I think the final decision will most likely come from him rather than us.

‘He will know better than anyone how the pain is going, how the recovery is going?

‘We’re not putting any pressure on him to come back. We have three good drivers at the moment so there is no rush, the focus is on a full recovery so that when he comes back there is not even talk about it.”