Sergio Perez is seemingly a big fan of Red Bull having brought Daniel Ricciardo back into the Milton Keynes-based team following his miserable two-year spell at McLaren, with the Australian currently occupying the role of development driver.
Ricciardo raced for Red Bull from 2014-2018, a period in which he claimed seven victories for the Austrians.
Since he left Red Bull, Ricciardo’s career has certainly taken a hit, with his move from Renault to McLaren in 2021 having ultimately been the nail in the coffin.
Excluding his win at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, Ricciardo had little to celebrate during his time with the Woking-based team, especially with him having been beaten by former team-mate Lando Norris on a Grand Prix basis.
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The 33-year-old ultimately decided that he needed to take a step back from racing before he takes his next step forward, something which resulted in Red Bull snapping up their former driver.
Ricciardo’s role as development driver is very much a behind-the-scenes job, with his tasks for this season including simulator and marketing work.
Team principal Christian Horner did recently reveal, though, that Ricciardo would be carrying out a test for the team later in the year, with that likely to be an opportunity for the Aussie to see if he’s still got the pace to return to the grid in 2024.
First and foremost, Red Bull have gained “someone very positive” by bringing Ricciardo back, as well as a driver who has heaps of experience, something which will likely be very beneficial in the simulator.
With that in mind, Perez believes Ricciardo’s return has been “great” for the Austrians, with the side being in a “very unique position” by having the Honey Badger in the team.
The Mexican also praised Ricciardo’s personality, with one of the reasons why he’s so popular being that he “never stops smiling”.
“He’s, first of all, someone very positive, someone great to have around,” Perez told media, including RacingNews365.com, during the recent Australian Grand Prix.
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“He never stops smiling. I think it’s great for the team.
“We are in a very unique position, to have Daniel around with the amount of experience he has.
“He’s been doing a very good job for us.”