Horner confirms: Ricciardo will do test work for Red Bull

After several disappointing seasons at Renault and McLaren, Ricciardo found himself without a contract in mid-2022. It almost seemed like an inglorious end to a strong career for the good-humoured Australian. In the end, he did get a place at Red Bull, as the third driver behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

"Daniel’s just a positive energy to have around, and it’s great to see him getting his mojo back," Horner said about the latest addition to the team. "To see that big smile on his face – he lights up a room when he walks in. He is incredibly popular in Formula 1, even though he is not driving at the moment. It’s just positive to have him in the team, contributing to the team, to the drivers, to the engineering team."

Horner hopes Ricciardo regains his love of racing

In the months since his dismissal from McLaren, Ricciardo has spoken a lot about his own motivation and attitude towards Formula 1. Although the Australian insists he wants to return in 2024, he has made it more than clear that a short break is exactly what he needs.

"Hopefully, he’ll rediscover his love for the sport," Horner said. "He’ll do a bit of testing for us later in the year and we’ll see how that how that goes for him. But I think it’s a different experience. He’s thrown himself in and is embracing this new role."