Daniel Ricciardo, your time is now!

Daniel Ricciardo will drive a Red Bull Racing RB9 tomorrow when Formula 1 hits the test track at Silverstone for the commonly referred to young driver tests.

This has come about due to a change in conditions from the FIA which will allow all teams to test new Pirelli tyres with their F1 drivers. The new tyres will be introduced at the Hungarian Grand Prix (28 July).

The test program runs for three days and for all the morning sessions Red Bull has announced its young drivers will participate. For the afternoon sessions Ricciardo will be first up, with Mark Webber to drive on Thursday and Sebastian Vettel to step in for Friday’s test.

With no opportunity for Jean-Eric Vergne to test with Red Bull at this test it is the clearest sign yet that Ricciardo is the Toro Rosso driver most likely to replace Mark Webber if Red Bull chooses to promote one of their junior drivers.

[Pic: Toro Rosso/Getty Images]

UPDATE 17 July: Red Bull has amended their schedule. António Félix da Costa will drive all day Wednesday and Thursday’s morning session. Daniel Ricciardo will hit the track on Thursday afternoon. Friday’s original schedule remains in place, which means Mark Webber can take the week off.

[Infiniti Red Bull Racing press release]

Tuesday 16 July 2013

DRIVER LINE UP AT SILVERSTONE TEST

Following changes to the conditions of this week’s Silverstone Young Driver Test set for 17-19 July, Infiniti Red Bull Racing would like to announce an amended driver line up.

Red Bull Junior Team driver António Félix da Costa will drive in the morning on Day 1 and Day 2 (17 and 18 July)*, while Carlos Sainz Junior will take over for the final morning, Day 3 (19 July).

For the permitted tyre testing, Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo will drive in the afternoon of Day 1, Mark Webber will drive in the afternoon of Day 2 and Sebastian Vettel will drive in the afternoon of Day 3.

Media Times are as follows:

Wednesday 17 July (Day 1)
A Felix Da Costa: 1305hrs – 1310hrs (All Media, Back of Garage)
Daniel Ricciardo: 1705hrs – 1710hrs (All Media, Back of Garage)

Thursday 18 July (Day 2)
A Felix Da Costa: 1305hrs – 1310hrs (All Media, Back of Garage)
Mark Webber: 1705hrs – 1710hr (All Media, Back of Garage)

Friday 19 July (Day 3)
Carlos Sainz Jr: 1305hrs – 1310hrs (All Media, Back of Garage)
Sebastian Vettel: 1705hrs – 1710hrs (All Media, Back of Garage)

* Antonio’s test with Infiniti Red Bull Racing fulfils the team’s commitment to grant the mid-season leader of the World Series by Renault a full day’s test in the RB9.