
In a dramatic turn of events during the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix’s second practice session (FP2), Daniel Ricciardo suffered a broken hand in an accident, leading to Red Bull junior Liam Lawson stepping in as his replacement.
The incident unfolded when Ricciardo found himself entangled in a mishap caused by fellow Australian Oscar Piastri early in Friday’s FP2. Piastri’s crash at Zandvoort’s banked Turn 3 was swiftly followed by Ricciardo, who collided with the outside barriers while attempting to avoid the wreckage.
The impact was severe enough to snap Ricciardo’s steering wheel and left the 34-year-old driver experiencing wrist pain, as he conveyed over the team radio. Following the incident, Ricciardo was promptly transported to a nearby hospital in Haarlem for X-rays. Observers spotted him with his left arm in a sling.
Later that Friday evening, AlphaTauri confirmed the extent of Ricciardo’s injury – a broken left hand, specifically a metacarpal bone. This unfortunate turn of events meant Ricciardo’s participation in the remainder of the Dutch GP weekend was ruled out.
The team announced that Red Bull junior Liam Lawson, present at Zandvoort as the designated reserve driver for both Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri, would step in for Ricciardo starting from Saturday’s FP3 session.
Helmut Marko, a key figure at Red Bull, stated, “He’s broken something in his hand, so he won’t race. Lawson will drive. It’s difficult for him. It’s a shame because the car is good here.”
Liam Lawson, who currently holds second place in Japan’s Super Formula championship with three wins, is set for his inaugural drive in a 2023 F1 car on Saturday. Notably, he hasn’t participated in any rookie FP1 sessions for either Red Bull or AlphaTauri this season.
Lawson’s name had previously come up as a potential replacement for Nyck de Vries from the Hungarian Grand Prix onward. However, Red Bull chose Ricciardo to infuse more experience into the struggling AlphaTauri lineup.
Marko also clarified that Nyck de Vries was not under consideration for a return on home soil after being replaced.
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