"Let's have a think to give me clear air" - Daniel Ricciardo reveals the thought process behind his strategy during the 2023 F1 Hungarian GP

Daniel Ricciardo believes that his strategy and thought process during the 2023 Hungarian GP benefited him. The Australian felt that despite getting hit on the first lap, his tyre strategy helped him surge back up the grid.

Speaking to the media, including Sportskeeda after the race, Ricciardo described his race in these words:

“Yeah, I felt it was quite early in the race, I got hit from behind from Turn 1 so that put me at the tail of the field and then I was kind of just stuck behind with a bit of a train with Sargeant and someone else. I just knew, say in dirty air, even with these new cars - this circuit, its definitely a hard one to follow.

"As soon as I think they pitted quite early and as soon as they did, I felt like I had the grip coming back into the tyre and I thought, ‘Ok, let's see what we can do in clear air'. That was better. And then we pitted relatively early and I think we got put back in traffic and that's when I was like, ‘Yeah, whatever we can do, let's have a think to give me clear air.'”

He added:

“Because it's so hard to pass and we have been a little down on top speeds this weekend. So, it was just about trying to do an alternate strategy. I actually felt good with the tyres, they lose grip quite early with how hot the temperature is but then I felt I could manage it.

"So, that's why I was confident to also take a punt on the medium and we went from there. Other than turn 1, obviously, not my doing, I thought it was really a good race.”

After being hit by Guanyu Zhou on lap 1, Daniel Ricciardo pitted for new tyres and had to rejoin at the back of the grid. Citing the importance of clearing traffic and getting into clear air, the AlphaTauri driver tried his best to get out of the DRS train behind Logan Sargeant and passed as many cars as he could.

An alternate strategy on medium tyres helped him surge through the pack. With minimal damage to the diffuser and none to the rest of the car, he was asked to continue the race by his team.

Speaking to Sportskeeda, he admitted that had he not been hit, fighting for the points was a possibility. The former Red Bull driver finished at the same spot he started at, in 13th, but the 70-lap journey from 13th to the bottom of the grid and back was an intriguing one.

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Red Bull team principal was convinced that Daniel Ricciardo was back after the Silverstone test

Daniel Ricciardo

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 in Hungary, Christian Horner revealed that Nyck de Vries was unable to meet performance targets, which made him approach Daniel Ricciardo.

The Briton claimed that he asked the Australian if he would be interested in the AlphaTauri drive if the Silverstone test went well. According to the Red Bull team principal, the 34-year-old’s test went so well that he was convinced the old Ricciardo was back. After that, it was a matter of an internal discussion and switching up the driver lineup.

Explaining how the process of putting Daniel Ricciardo into the AlphaTauri unfolded, Horner said:

“These things just don’t happen with a phone call. So you know, we talked about it a bit. It was obvious that Nyck was struggling, he wasn’t hitting the targets and you have to understand that those [AlphaTauri] drivers, we’re looking at with an eye for Red Bull Racing. It was clear that Nyck wasn’t going to be an appealing driver to us longer term.

"I discussed it with Daniel before the test and said, ‘Would you be up for getting in at AlphaTauri if the test goes well?’ He got in the car at Silverstone and he was up for that challenge. By the 11th lap, he’d done a lap time that would have put him on the front row for the British Grand Prix.”

He added:

“He made it clear to me that he was back and then, of course, you know there’s a discussion internally. AlphaTauri were very keen to take him obviously and there was discussion inside as well and then obviously, you know, Helmut [Marko] was keen to make the phone call to Nyck.”

At the Silverstone test, Daniel Ricciardo had clocked lap times in the RB19 that were good enough to put him on the front row. The mid-season switch to AlphaTauri obviously has the promise of a future Red Bull drive if all goes well.

Although Horner said a week ago that if the Australian is considered for the Red Bull seat, it would be for the 2025 season. But speculation suggests that if all goes well for Daniel Ricciardo in the remaining races of the 2023 season, it won't be a surprise if he pairs Max Verstappen by 2024.