It is funny how the universe works. Giving a man some hope and translating it into an enriching start to a very rare 2nd chance at something only to steal it away from right under his nose. Daniel Ricciardo was on cloud nine after his return to AlphaTauri. But a freak crash in FP2 at Zandvoort caused a fracture on his left hand. An absolute disaster for him but for Liam Lawson, the rookie replacing him, an opportunity to show his worth. However, his hopes of making a good debut have now been flushed down the drain.

Just about 10 minutes into FP2, McLaren‘s Oscar Piastri lost control of his car and went into the barriers. His fellow Australian, Ricciardo, who was coming up behind him, couldn’t react in time and he too, crashed into the barriers. In a statement, AlphaTauri later revealed that the Honey Badger had broken the metacarpal bone on his left hand. Thus, began his journey of recovering and getting back, and 21-year-old Lawson’s “miracle” debut.

But the miracle might become a distant dream, is what Helmut Marko feels, given the current circumstance this weekend. “Lawson will drive,” Marko announced after FP2 as quoted by Motorsport-Total. “It’s a shame [for Ricciardo] because the car is good here.” Despite the car being good, the Austrian explained how it is going to be a “difficult” debut for Lawson because he only gets one practice session before Qualifying today at Zandvoort.

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What the New Zealand driver is capable of even with only 1 practice session is still up for debate. But for Ricciardo, he finds himself in dire straits. Nonetheless, like a true sportsperson, he has given his best to AlphaTauri and Lawson.

Despite racing heartbreak, Daniel Ricciardo wishes Liam Lawson a “strong weekend”

You have to feel for Daniel Ricciardo. The man with the million-watt smile lost his round-the-clock happiness owing to a fractured left hand. After returning to the paddock, he explained how he didn’t take his hand off the steering wheel in time, which led to the eventual impact injury. Yet, he didn’t allow his team or Liam Lawson to feel low.

“It’s really unfortunate and frustrating, but I’ll try to recover as quickly as I can,” Ricciardo said, as quoted by Express. “Obviously, I’d love to get back soon, but I also want to ensure we do things the right way, so I come back strong and competitive. I wish the team well, and I’m sorry for the change in plans again. It’s a chance for Liam to have a go, and I wish him and the team a strong weekend.”

Do you think Lawson would be able to fill in the (metaphorically) humongous shoes of the Honey Badger?

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