Formula 1 drivers are ready to get back on track as another season kicks on. The teams have gathered useful data in the testing session in Bahrain and Barcelona.

Formula 1 also posted an official picture of all the drivers on the track, but Daniel Ricciardo was absent. The Australian missed the 3-day Bahrain testing session because of Covid.

Fellow McLaren driver, Lando Norris, was behind the wheel during the testing in Bahrain. However, McLaren has announced that Ricciardo is fit and now in contention to race in the Bahrain Grand Prix. It is a timely boost for the team, as they will look for a solid start in the first race of the season.

Statement from McLaren

McLaren were looking for replacements as they ruled out Daniel Ricciardo with COVID-19 last Friday. There were doubts casting over the 32-year-old’s availability in the first race of the season. As a result, Alpine’s reserve driver, Oscar Piastri, was chosen as his replacement in case Ricciardo missed the race.

However, it is not the case now, as McLaren has confirmed that Ricciardo is fit and ready to go racing in Bahrain. The team from Woking also revealed that the Australian has returned several negative tests and is feeling better with each passing day.

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The statement read, “McLaren F1 Team confirms that after testing positive for covid-19 last week, Daniel has now returned a number of negative tests and will therefore return to the paddock on Thursday ready to compete in this weekend’s Bahrain GP.”

Daniel has been feeling better each day as he continued to recover while in isolation following local regulations in Bahrain.” 

McLaren Aiming For a Strong Start

McLaren will aim to start the season on the high as the competition for the top spot increases. They finished P4 in the Constructor’s Championship last year and will look to compete for the 3rd spot this time around. Ferrari are the pre-season favorites to take over the mantle from Mercedes. And McLaren will hope to be right in the mix over the course of the season.

Lando Norris finished 9th on the timesheet on the last day of the testing in Bahrain. The British driver completed the most laps among all the drivers during the 3-day testing period. However, he felt the team could work on some improvements.

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He said, “We ended with some more positives, with thankfully a lot more running. The team made some good progress with the problems we’ve been having. There’s still a lot of improvements to be made for us to able to compete next week.”

Daniel Ricciardo’s return is positive news for McLaren and they will hope the Australian can find his form this time around. With Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull looking strong, can they achieve a top 3 finish?