Daniel Ricciardo will get behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car for the first time since the Dutch Grand prix at a demonstration event in Nashville on Saturday, before returning to the grid proper at next weekend’s United States Grand Prix.
The AlphaTauri driver, who returned to F1 in the summer after the ousting of Nyck de Vries, broke a metacarpal in his left hand in a crash during practice for the Dutch Grand Prix and subsequently underwent surgery. The injury meant missing the Italian, Singapore, Japanese, and Qatar grands prix in addition to the Dutch race, his place in the interim being taken by Liam Lawson. He also missed a run on the Nurburgring Nordschleife, his spot for that event being taken by David Coulthard.
Ricciardo, who has been in Red Bull’s simulator in recent weeks, initially eyed a return at the Singapore Grand Prix on September 17, but that was quickly pushed back to last weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, before his return was ultimately locked in for the United States Grand Prix on the weekend of October 22.
The cockpit return comes at Red Bull’s show run event in Nashville, where he will be driving a 2011 RB7.
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“A little update: simulator’s been going well, hand is feeling good to drive,” Ricciardo said in a video posted online by Red Bull. “Everyone knows I love Austin, [I] wouldn’t miss that one for the world.
“But before that, a little stop off in Nashville. We’re here for the show run this weekend. See you on Broadway if you’re here on Saturday, otherwise we’ll see you in Austin.”
Red Bull Show Run Nashville will take place on Lower Broadway on Saturday at noon, and will also feature former Toro Rosso driver Scott Speed demonstrating a Subaru WRX rallycross car.