Motorsport Off Topic Thread

chrismscotland · 11 Jul 2023 at 15:50

413x said:
https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-returns-f1-nyck-de-vries-replaced-red-bull/

Is this for real?

Yep - confirmed

https://twitter.com/x/status/1678776048513847297

413x · 11 Jul 2023 at 15:52

Is it a bit harsh on NDV?
Possibly.
Does it provide a bit of extra intrigue into the season? Yes.

I expect this is a test for DR against YT. Maybe getting ready to replace perez of he doesn't improve?

englishpremier · 11 Jul 2023 at 15:53

Was just about to post this.

If he can get up to speed with the cars with should do well. After-all he was the only person to be decent at RB while Max has been there.

Dup · 11 Jul 2023 at 15:54

Yeah, RB have tweeted it. What in the actual is Red Bull?! You know when you've been Marko'd

Anyway, DR will be battling Albon at the absolute best in that car I expect but it'll be interesting if they use this to pressure Perez.

NDV gonna take the test role at RB?

chrismscotland · 11 Jul 2023 at 15:55

Yeah I think this is more about testing DR than it is about dropping NDV even though de Vries has been poor.
NDV came in as one of the most experienced "rookies" in F1 history and it just didn't work out.

chrismscotland · 11 Jul 2023 at 15:56

Dup said:
Yeah, RB have tweeted it. What in the actual is Red Bull?! You know when you've been Marko'd

Anyway, DR will be battling Albon at the absolute best in that car I expect but it'll be interesting if they use this to pressure Perez.

NDV gonna take the test role at RB?

Not seen anything mentioned, Liam Lawson is "officially" the other Reserve for RB anyway so he will probably cover (or one of the F2 drivers if needed)

Message from Franz Tost suggests not:

“I would like to thank Nyck for his valuable contribution during his time with Scuderia AlphaTauri and I wish him all the best for the future.”

413x · 11 Jul 2023 at 15:56

Really like Albon. He seems lovely and glad he's performing.

Would rather him in alpine than either the current drivers.

Would be great to see Williams and albon progress together. But he's on the way to a decent seat

iamtheoneneo · 11 Jul 2023 at 15:59

chrismscotland said:
Not seen anything mentioned, Liam Lawson is "officially" the other Reserve for RB anyway so he will probably cover (or one of the F2 drivers if needed)

Lawson is going to get forever screwed....even though he is an awesome driver.
He should have had his shot by now, he has done so much for RB!

Armageus · 11 Jul 2023 at 16:00

413x said:
I expect this is a test for DR against YT. Maybe getting ready to replace perez of he doesn't improve?

Bit of everything I think, also allows DR to give some good feedback on the car that they are perhaps missing from the younger drivers

jonneymendoza · 11 Jul 2023 at 16:03

chrismscotland said:
Yep - confirmed

https://twitter.com/x/status/1678776048513847297

Wow

Stu999 · 11 Jul 2023 at 16:07

I do think it’s a bit harsh on De Vries.

Maybe Drive to Survive needed a big twist for next year? /tin foil hat

GravyMonster · 11 Jul 2023 at 16:12

Shame for De Vries. He was brilliant in that one drive in the Williams last year. No idea what happened to him at AT.

It'll be interesting to see how DannyRic does. I've never rated Tsunoda in the slightest - he's a whiny underperformer, but will make an interesting yardstick. If DR wants to get back in the Red Bull he needs to be beating Tsunoda in every single session, right from day 1.

Stumble Bum · 11 Jul 2023 at 16:17

Good to see Danny Ric have another chance. He'll actually get to race in Vegas after all.

413x · 11 Jul 2023 at 16:19

Stu999 said:
I do think it’s a bit harsh on De Vries.

Maybe Drive to Survive needed a big twist for next year? /tin foil hat

Maybe rbr are getting so little advertising time due to MV being untouchable they wanted some headlines.

JRS · 11 Jul 2023 at 16:33

Great for Danny Ric. Damned shame for NDV, but he's not had a great 2023 and something had to change.

jaybee · 11 Jul 2023 at 16:50

413x said:
Maybe rbr are getting so little advertising time due to MV being untouchable they wanted some headlines.

It's a fair point I never thought about actually. There must come a point where being so far ahead harms the TV time and ad revenue.

jonneymendoza · 11 Jul 2023 at 16:57

jaybee said:
It's a fair point I never thought about actually. There must come a point where being so far ahead harms the TV time and ad revenue.

It diddnt for merc but that was due to Hamilton being Hamilton aka very good with social media etc

chrismscotland · 11 Jul 2023 at 18:19

jaybee said:
It's a fair point I never thought about actually. There must come a point where being so far ahead harms the TV time and ad revenue.

Changing driver at AT isn't going to do much to help with that, it doesn't even say Red Bull on the car anymore.
Changing Perez would likely have a bigger impact, the constructors Championship has to be far more important money wise than TV time

cuke2u · 11 Jul 2023 at 18:35

It gives Red Bull options for next year if Perez continues to underperform...

Mr Jack · 11 Jul 2023 at 18:53

De Vries was hired on the premise he could turn up and deliver. He didn't.

Excited to see DR back on the grid, hope we get the old Dani back. Interesting challenge for Tsunoda too.

iamtheoneneo said:
Lawson is going to get forever screwed....even though he is an awesome driver.
He should have had his shot by now, he has done so much for RB!

He's not been good enough to force his way onto the grid, tbh. Decent enough, but not top tier and RB have plenty of talent on the way through the system.

If RB had faith in him he'd have been chosen over De Vries in the first place.