Daniel Ricciardo replaces Nyck de Vries

[Monty]

BREAKING: Daniel Ricciardo replaces Nyck de Vries in shock AlphaTauri switch
Perhaps this is not surprising but it is a real blow for Nick. Let’s face it, even his team mate has been struggling in that car. I am not sure it is even good news for Ricciardo - the car is a dog!
I assume the plan is for Ricciardo to do well in the Alpha Tauri and then replace Perez in the Red Bull?

[Dare]

I remember when Ferrari offered a return to F1 and he
turned it down. He knew it was a dog. and Fisichella left a
good car at Force India because he always wanted to drive for
Ferrari

Perez did the same thing at McLaren. This can't help Danny

[Andy B]

Only time will tell!

[lkjohnson1950]

I don't think A/T has any faith in either Nyck or Tsunoda. If Daniel comes in and is quicker they will say "See, it's not the car". If Daniel isn't quick, they will say he's stale, or past his sell by date. They can't admit it's the car.

[Willy]

This is not a smart move for Danny.
If he does well, AT will say their two current drivers are the problem, not the car.
If he does poorly AT will say he was the wrong driver or is past his sell before date.
Danny needs to bide his time and wait to see how the Perez issue plays out.

[cosworth151]

It may not be all bad for Danny. Even in a bad car I think he'll be head & shoulders above either of their current drivers. At least it gets him back in the game.

[Jericoke]

This is not a smart move for Danny.
If he does well, AT will say their two current drivers are the problem, not the car.
If he does poorly AT will say he was the wrong driver or is past his sell before date.
Danny needs to bide his time and wait to see how the Perez issue plays out.

What is wrong with Red Bull's young driver programme?  They bought a second team because they needed a place to put all the talent they were developing... so where'd all that talent go?  Maybe the guy in charge of that programme should be re-evaluated.

(And in general, F1 has seen the returns of K Mag, Hulk and now Daniel Ricc.  Even De Vries is 28, not exactly a 'young driver'.  What happened to all the young drivers?)

[John S]

What is wrong with Red Bull's young driver programme?  They bought a second team because they needed a place to put all the talent they were developing... so where'd all that talent go?  Maybe the guy in charge of that programme should be re-evaluated.

There's still two other drivers, besides Max & Tsunoda, in big teams on the grid who came thru Red Bull program - Sainz & Gasly - so 4 drivers on grid from Marko oversight ain't bad.

We've also seen much more involvement from other teams in last 5 to 7 years to groom drivers for the senior series. Usually it's really only the F2 champ that gets auto promotion to F1 - or at least a year wait to get into an F1 car a la Piastri with Alpine in 22 or Drugovitch this year.

In last few years it's been Ferrari, Merc, Alpine, Mclaren, & now Williams & Sauber sponsoring drivers all vying for top place in F2 beside Red Bull. In fact well over half the 22 drivers in F2 now have backing from one F1 team or another. Many in under series F3 get various F1 team backing too.

You can see Red Bull/Marko has responded to this elevated competiton for the next star by sponsoring 6 - yes SIX - drivers in F2 this year. 

[Alianora La Canta]

I think it's a trick and Danny will not enjoy this - although that probably won't be clear immediately.

Red Bull's trick is obvious to me, and it's not Yuki who's the target. It's Checo. They're team-mate shopping for Verstappen. They've already asked Alex, Charles and Lando (and, I suspect, everyone else at similar level to them). Alex has flat refused to ever go to Red Bull as currently composed (a first for the Red Bull programme, apparently) and despite current tensions, it seems unlikely that either Charles or Lando will leave their respective teams (Charles has politely declined Red Bull's advances once already, with Max has said putting two people that fast together is inadvisable in any case. Lando is happy where he is at McLaren).

Red Bull can't stand the idea that they're stuck with someone who keeps missing Q3 in the fastest car on the grid, but if they want a team-mate for Verstappen, they may have to find that driver themselves. Yuki is a good fit for Alpha Tauri and patently not ready for Red Bull, Nyck was still getting up to speed with Alpha Tauri...

I think something like this was always the plan for Red Bull with Daniel, although I think it was meant to happen in 2024. However, the aim is the same - to have Daniel as Max's Red Bull team-mate. But Daniel's already left Red Bull due to how that went last time, and I think the situation there has not improved (otherwise Checo would have been able to work there and be a reasonably effective team-mate to Max, thus avoiding the entire scenario).

I expect Daniel to be decent in the Alpha Tauri, but to have a very hard time next year at Red Bull and wonder privately whether it was the right decision to go back. He may even be at risk of being discarded for Yuki if things go badly enough for him and well enough for Yuki, to make space for Liam Lawson (who might be ready by 2025).

[Jericoke]

... Max has said putting two people that fast together is inadvisable in any case...

I know that RBR has a history of favouring a single driver.  I get it, in a close championship putting all your eggs in one basket might be the only way to win the championship (2007 McLaren will tell you that).   However, when one team is dominating, with a single driver, the sport is dull.

McLaren and Mercedes have both had dominant seasons where their drivers were 'equals' and fought for the championship.

I think two 'equally elite drivers' in an Adrian Newey machine could create the best season in F1 history.  Max is coasting, and while that may make his life easy, it's not fun.  Not for the fans... and not for Max.  Red Bull is an advertising company, they could make an absolutely epic spectacle from two drivers who are treated as equals going after each other from day one.  The team would benefit, the sport would benefit, the fans would benefit and... the drivers would benefit.  Max isn't going to remember the 2023 season, it's the 2021 championship that he had to give everything to win, and that's the one he wants to do again.

[Alianora La Canta]

Unfortunately, Red Bull don't care about creating the greatest season in F1 history. They care about what they think is best for the drink.

[Dare]

Another costly Perez mistake again. DR just
might get it next year or sooner

[Jericoke]

Unfortunately, Red Bull don't care about creating the greatest season in F1 history. They care about what they think is best for the drink.

That's what I'm saying:  if Red Bull can slap their name into the discussion of 'Best F1 season ever' forever... why else even be in the sport?  They've built their brand on taking things to the 'next level'.  The 'next level' in F1 isn't more championships, it's MEMORABLE championships.  Ones that people will talk about forever.  Gilles Villeneuve won zero championships, and is a legend.  Kimi Raikkonen isn't popular for his championship season.  Prost and Senna should each have won more championships, but they're known for their epic battle.  Lewis Hamilton has had formidable teammates for almost his entire career (what other driver has partnered, and beaten, 3 different world champs?)  Does RBR really want their reputation to be 'played it safe'?

[lkjohnson1950]

The people at Red Bull are obsessed with Max. They don't seem to care about anything else. All they want from Perez is second place, and he's not delivering. Of course, Max does everything in his power to guarantee that he remains the focus.