"I’m talking about Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel" - F1 drivers told to fill the personality void left by former drivers

Popular Formula 1 journalist Ted Kravitz has asked drivers present on the grid for the 2023 F1 season to fill the void left by Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo.

Four-time world champion Vettel retired from the sport at the end of last year after racing for BMW Sauber, Toro Rosso, Red Bull Racing, Ferrari and Aston Martin. Ricciardo, on the other hand, saw his McLaren contract ripped apart by mutual consent and has since signed up to be Red Bull's reserve and simulator driver for 2023.

Journalist Kravitz, who works with Sky Sports, noted in his ‘Ted’s Notebook’ program that he was feeling the void of Ricciardo and Vettel's absences.

The 48-year-old Brit stated that the current F1 drivers need to 'become those big personalities' to ensure the sport's popularity stays high. He said:

“I must say there are two notable exceptions to F1 in 2023. We do miss their presence and I’m talking about Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel. And you know what? I felt this on Thursday when we started and I feel it now, I just miss those guys. They were big personalities.”

He added:

“And yes, I know Daniel Ricciardo is a reserve driver for Red Bull Racing, he might be around, but they were big personalities. And you know, if F1 is to continue its popularity, then some of these drivers need to step up and become and develop and be those big personalities to replace those guys that we’ve lost to the sport.”

Kravitz, however, is sure that someone will always step up when it matters, as drivers have done over the years. He stated:

“I’m sure they will do, [it] always happens, always has happened in F1 but it’s just a sign of what a great draw Danny Ric and Seb were that we do feel that we miss them.”

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Daniel Ricciardo option ‘theoretically’ available for AlphaTauri

AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost stated that Red Bull Racing's reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo is an option as a substitute driver for the 2023 season.

With AlphaTauri's ties to its sister team, there is a possibility of Ricciardo replacing one of the main drivers in the team when the need arises. Speaking to PlanetF1, Tost said:

“Theoretically, yes, practically, I don’t hope so because there are young drivers like Liam Lawson, like Hauger. I think we will primarily be focused on the young drivers because that’s within our capacity.”

He added:

“We will always be about the future, educating young drivers but Formula 1, in general, has changed and is now very, very competitive. That means to bring in young drivers you really have to do a good program with them, you have to prepare them in the best possible way."