After a brief trip to Canada, the Formula 1 calendar shifts back to Europe for the next set of races, starting with the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix this weekend.
Eight races down, and it’s Max Verstappen who continues to lead the pack. He comes to the Red Bull Ring as the favourite to win, given that he has won three out of the last five iterations of this particular event.
However, he might not be able to race with his Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, who is currently under the weather. The Mexican is Verstappen’s closest title rival, although he’s trailing by a whopping 69 points behind his double world champion teammate.
That said, Perez’s status ahead of this weekend raises the question of whether Daniel Ricciardo will make his return to Formula 1.
Perez’s malaise opens the door for Ricciardo
Sergio Perez was not made available for media sessions because he is currently dealing with an illness just days before the Austrian Grand Prix.
Should he not race, Red Bull has the option to bring in either Yuki Tsunoda or Nyck de Vries from sister team AlphaTauri, or even Liam Lawson, who is available because there’s no Super Formula race this week.
But then there’s Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian missed out on one of the 20 available seats this season after a turbulent two years with McLaren, and he has made it known ever since that he is itching to get back in the Formula 1 paddock soon.
Ricciardo had been with Red Bull from 2014 to 2018, only to move elsewhere because he wasn’t keen on being the No. 2 driver behind Max Verstappen. Since then, he has been on a precipitous decline, which is a shame considering he had a lot of potential to become a world champion back then.
But now that he’s back with the Milton Keynes outfit, Ricciardo has positioned himself as a prime candidate should an opportunity arise.
The word within the team is that the Australian has impressed this season with his simulator sessions, so he might get his chance sooner or later, especially with Perez struggling to find his form even before his illness.
Is there hope for Ferrari?
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. are both upbeat because they had a strong haul of points (P4 and P5) for Ferrari last time out, and they’re looking to build off their momentum here in Austria.
Dogged by a myriad of car issues in the past, along with their strategic flops, Ferrari fared much better, with both Leclerc and Sainz Jr. praising the team for their cars’ improved tyre life in Canada.
“Yeah, it’s definitely encouraging. Again, the feeling with the car, I was really happy, so that is good. Tyre management is good,” said Leclerc. “I think we did some good progress, but we need to see how Austria plays out with going back to higher speed corners.”
“I cannot thank enough the people back in Maranello with the extra hours that everyone has put in to make these parts arrive,” added Sainz Jr.
Ferrari are going to introduce a few more upgrades here in Austria, such as the revised front wing and the new floor to improve the overall drivability of the SF-23.
History
Max Verstappen has been the man to beat at the Red Bull Ring in recent years because he has won three of the last five Austrian Grands Prix, with the exception of 2020 due to an electronic failure, while he finished second last year behind Charles Leclerc.
With three wins, the Dutchman has the most victories in this Grand Prix among active drivers, while surprisingly, Valtteri Bottas is right behind him with two after he won in 2017 and 2020 when he was still with the Silver Arrows.
What are the odds?
It sounds like a broken record, but Max Verstappen is the hot favourite, according to the latest Austrian Grand Prix 2023 odds. When compared to any other driver, the Dutchman is priced at 1.35, compared to any other driver at 2.88.
Right behind him are Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, who are installed at 1.42 and 1.60, respectively, although it would be unwise to count out the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. (at 2.00 and 2.07).
The hope is that Sergio Perez is going to be 100-per cent fit come Sunday, but SBOTOP race fans will have to wait for more Austrian Grand Prix 2023 updates regarding his condition. If he sits out this one, Red Bull’s odds will take a small hit from 1.15 to 1.35.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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