Ricciardo returns to F1 paddock after hand injury

Daniel Ricciardo has returned to the Formula 1 paddock after fracturing his left metacarpal at Zandvoort earlier this month.

The AlphaTauri driver could be seen wearing a brace on his left hand covering up his injury, which had to be operated on at a hospital in Barcelona following the crash.

Ricciardo recently shared an image of his hand post-surgery with 13 stitches on social media, in which a metal plate had been inserted.

He will be replaced by Liam Lawson again this weekend, but will still be trackside with AlphaTauri for "engineering purposes" according to the team.

Marko: Ricciardo had seven fractures in hand

Red Bull Advisor Helmut Marko told Servus TV the timeline for when he expects the Australian to be back in the car, as they do not want to take any risks.

“It’s complicated,” said Marko when he was asked about Ricciardo's hand injury.

“There are seven fractures,” he revealed. “The same doctor who operated on Marc Marquez is taking care of him.

“We are expecting a six-week break and have brought in a top replacement in Liam Lawson. We don’t want to take any risks.”