Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo’s anticipated comeback is facing uncertainty after he suffered a complex hand fracture during FP1 at the Dutch GP.
The incident occurred when Ricciardo’s car collided with the barriers, as he took action to avoid the crashed McLaren of fellow Australian Oscar Piastri last Friday.
Initial diagnoses indicated a broken metacarpal in Ricciardo’s left hand, leading to his subsequent treatment and journey to recovery.
The Australian driver, who was hoping for an impressive comeback return after the summer break, was swiftly attended to by medical officials.
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From there, he was promptly transported to Barcelona, seeking the expertise of renowned orthopaedic surgeon Xavier Mir.
Notably, Dr. Mir has previously aided another F1 driver, Lance Stroll, in his recovery from broken bones earlier in the year.
Expectations were high for Ricciardo’s return, especially as he has been strongly linked with a potential reunion with Red Bull next year.
Christian Horner, the head of Red Bull Racing, initially expressed hope that the 33-year-old driver would be back in action for the Singapore Grand Prix.
This scenario would have allowed him to participate in one more race this weekend at Monza before handing over his cockpit to Liam Lawson, who had a challenging start from the back of the grid but impressively secured a 13th place finish at the Dutch GP.
Ricciardo himself took to Instagram to share a candid glimpse of his hospital journey.
He posted a photo of himself lying in a hospital bed, capturing the moment he received his “first bit of metalwork.”
The accompanying caption read, “Got my first bit of metalwork so that’s pretty cool.
“Big thanks to everyone who reached out and kept my spirits up.
“This ain’t a setback, just all part of the comeback.”
However, the optimism in Ricciardo’s post was countered by the less promising news he received from Dr. Xavier Mir.
According to AlphaTauri CEO Peter Bayer, who conveyed updates to Sky Deutschland, the surgical procedure was successful despite unforeseen complications stemming from the fracture’s intricacy.
“The operation went well,” stated Bayer, “even if the fracture was more complicated than we thought.
“I just spoke to his manager.
“He will stay in Barcelona for a few days now to observe the healing process.”
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Dr. Helmut Marko, a key figure in Red Bull Racing, echoed the concerns about Ricciardo’s recovery timeline.
“Unfortunately, it’s a complicated break. It’s not a straight break,” Dr. Marko expressed.
While awaiting an official confirmation from the medical team, he admitted that prospects were bleak for Ricciardo’s participation in at least the next two races on the F1 calendar.