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AlphaTauri Confirm Tsunoda and Ricciardo for 2024

Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Scuderia AlphaTauri arrives ahead of the practice session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore, 15 September 2023. (EPA)
Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Scuderia AlphaTauri arrives ahead of the practice session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore, 15 September 2023. (EPA)
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AlphaTauri Confirm Tsunoda and Ricciardo for 2024

Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Scuderia AlphaTauri arrives ahead of the practice session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore, 15 September 2023. (EPA)
Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Scuderia AlphaTauri arrives ahead of the practice session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore, 15 September 2023. (EPA)

AlphaTauri confirmed Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda as their 2024 Formula One lineup on Saturday and said current stand-in Liam Lawson would be reserve driver for both of Red Bull's teams.

The announcement at the Japanese Grand Prix ended speculation about which two of the three would be racing next year and left Williams as the only team with a potential vacancy.

New Zealander Lawson, 21, has impressed in three races as Ricciardo's replacement since the 34-year-old Australian broke his hand in a crash last month.

"We are in a privileged position, where we have access to multiple great talents from the Red Bull world," said AlphaTauri's new CEO Peter Bayer in a statement.

"Both Daniel and Yuki have not just shown fantastic race craft but are also great global ambassadors for our team and our sport.

"Liam put himself in the spotlight of F1 in only three races and I am very happy that we can continue to prepare him for his future."

Ricciardo, whose return to the team could still be some way off, said he was "stoked" to be continuing the career comeback he started this season.

The eight times race winner had begun the year taking time off following a difficult period at McLaren.

"Following the progress we have already made and the plans for the future, it's an exciting time for the team. We are building and it is a great feeling...bring on 2024," Ricciardo said in the statement.

Tsunoda, Japan's only current F1 driver and backed by AlphaTauri's engine partner Honda, will be racing for a fourth season after joining in 2021.

"Next year, the technical regulations remain largely unchanged and it was therefore logical to go for continuity in our driver line-up too," said outgoing team principal Franz Tost, who will be handing over to Laurent Mekies.

"I am very pleased with the development that Yuki has shown over the last two and a half years with our team and with Daniel´s great race-winning experience we will have one of the most competitive driver pairings on the grid in 2024."

"Peter and Laurent will have a great duo to start the new season in the right direction."

Lawson, the youngest driver on the grid, is also competing in Japan's Super Formula series this season and is second with one round remaining.

AlphaTauri said the Kiwi driver will attend all F1 races next season, focusing on testing, simulator and development work.

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F1 on Jeddah’s Streets - Talking Points Ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia walks through the paddock ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia walks through the paddock ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
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F1 on Jeddah’s Streets - Talking Points Ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia walks through the paddock ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia walks through the paddock ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)

This weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is the final leg of the first "triple header" of the season.

From Suzuka in Japan, to the desert of Bahrain, Formula One now pitches up on the shores of the Red Sea in Jeddah.

AFP Sport looks at five talking points ahead of the fifth round of the 24-race season:

Advantage McLaren

Oscar Piastri put in a faultless display from pole last Sunday in Sakhir to make it three wins out of four for the British marque.

That moved the cool as ice Australian to within three points of championship leader and teammate Lando Norris, who took third in Bahrain.

With Max Verstappen, only sixth, and Red Bull struggling to keep tabs on the world constructors' champions, the 2025 title could well develop into a battle between the two McLaren men.

The team has always been insistent on "papaya rules", theoretically meaning no favoritism between the pair, but that even-handed policy will be put under intense pressure if the season develops into a battle between the two gifted drivers.

Looking ahead to Sunday's race Norris commented: "It's a really fast track and we have a quick car, so we'll be aiming to finish this triple-header strongly."

Red Bull to bounce back?

Red Bull's problems in Bahrain were well documented, and they will be desperate to bounce back on one of their favorite hunting grounds, with Max Verstappen winning in Jeddah in 2022 and 2024.

"Bahrain was quite a difficult weekend for us and didn't really go our way at all. We had some issues that set us back and we still have a lot of work to do on the car to get us where we need to be," said the four-time champion.

He slipped to third in the standings, eight points behind Norris, after trailing in over half a minute behind Piastri in Sakhir.

"We have a final push with this being the third race and final weekend of the triple header so hopefully we can find more pace and bring out a performance similar to Japan (his only win of the season)," he added.

The circuit

Sunday's race presents a radically different test for car and driver than last week in Bahrain. The fastest street circuit on the calendar offers multiple chances for overtaking, in stark contrast to the most famous street circuit of them all, Monaco.

With a record 27 corners and three DRS (drag reduction system) zones it can be counted on to serve up plenty of drama, with the walled sides leaving little room for error.

All the ingredients then for a thrilling race under floodlights on Jeddah's Corniche.

Golf in the Gulf for Gasly

Alpine finally got off the ground in Bahrain, with Pierre Gasly picking up their first points of the season in seventh.

"It's great to leave Bahrain with points on the board after three challenging races at the start of the season," reflected the French driver.

He celebrated his bold show by following Rory McIlroy's emotional Masters triumph at Augusta.

"I really enjoyed staying up late to watch the end of the Masters and I'm delighted for Rory McIlroy, one of our investors, to finally secure the green jacket. Congratulations to him!"

Toto praise for Russell

George Russell will be hoping to concentrate on the job he's paid to do -- driving -- rather than as a part-time electrician. The Briton, enjoying his best ever start to a season, took second last Sunday despite a myriad of issues he had to contend with in the cockpit in the closing stages.

"It was a superb drive from him under extreme pressure," marveled Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.

Russell's teammate Kimi Antonelli did not enjoy the rub of the green and finished out of the points for the first time in his debut season.

"It has been easy to forget that Kimi is in the very earliest stages of his F1 career given his performances so far. Bahrain will prove an important milestone in his continued development," Wolff remarked.