Daniel Ricciardo will make a sensational return to front-line Formula 1 racing at the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix, with the Australian set to replace Nyck de Vries at the AlphaTauri team for the rest of the season.

Ricciardo was in action today at Silverstone, driving Red Bull’s current RB19 car in a Pirelli tyre test.

But it’s now been announced that Ricciardo – currently Red Bull’s third driver – will take the place of De Vries from Hungary onwards at AlphaTauri.

“I am stoked to be back on track with the Red Bull family!” said Ricciardo of his new posting, after impressing in his Silverstone test.

"I’m very pleased to welcome Daniel back into the team,” commented Franz Tost, AlphaTauri Team Principal. “There’s no doubt about his driving skills, and he already knows many of us, so his integration will be easy and straight forward. The team will also profit a lot from his experience, as he is an eight-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner."

Dutch driver De Vries – who starred in a one-off drive for Williams at Monza last year, claiming ninth position – has endured a difficult first season of full-time F1 racing and is yet to score, with AlphaTauri rooted to the bottom of the constructors’ standings.

That’s led to him being replaced after 10 Grands Prix, with eight-time race winner Ricciardo – who lost his drive with McLaren at the end of 2022 following two trying seasons with the team – set to re-join the Faenza-based squad with whom he spent two seasons in 2012 and 2013 in their Toro Rosso guise, before his promotion to Red Bull for 2014.

Ricciardo went on to net seven victories for Red Bull, before joining Renault for two seasons from 2019, then moving onto McLaren for 2021.

Ricciardo had been outspoken in recent interviews about his desire to make it back to a full-time F1 seat, the Australian recently telling ESPN: “Right now, I do want to get back on the grid next year. I do feel like there’s certainly some unfinished business. I’m staying in the loop and staying prepared.”

Ricciardo’s first race back, meanwhile, will come at the venue where he scored the second of his F1 victories at the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix.

With F1 now fully committed to incorporating a selection of sprint races throughout the F1 calendar, talks are set to begin soon about ways to further fine-tune the spectacle in 2024.

While grand prix bosses are happy to keep the number of sprint races at six for next year, a gathering of the F1 Commission scheduled for the Belgian Grand Prix weekend looks set to discuss tweaks to the sprint plans.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has now revealed that one idea being looked at is to introduce a special ‘Grand Slam’ element to sprint weekends – which would be awarded to any driver who takes pole position and victory for both the sprint and main grand prix.

In an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com talking about the sprint plans for next year, Domenicali said: “There will be six sprints, and we will announce them I think in September, because we have a meeting of the Formula 1 Commission scheduled for the weekend of the Belgian Grand Prix.

“There is a proposal that I would like to make, in line with the concept of the ‘Grand Slam’. It is that drivers who take the two poles and the two race wins over the weekend should be recognised with something extra, which represents well the sporting enterprise they have achieved.”

The idea of the ‘Grand Slam’ is still in its early phases, and it is understood that F1 wants discussions with teams first about the general concept before it focuses more on what the final award could be.

It is thought unlikely that it would result in extra championship points being offered, but it could end up being a special trophy or other reward to be given out if a driver is dominant.

As well as the ‘Grand Slam’ idea, F1 teams are also set to discuss whether or not the format for the sprint weekends should be refined for next year.

It is understood that areas being looked at are whether or not the tyre allocation or parc ferme rules should be changed, and even whether the flow of the weekends are shaken up to build momentum better towards Sunday’s race.

At the moment, Saturdays at a sprint race weekend are completely standalone, with sprint qualifying in the morning and the shorter race in the afternoon.

One idea that has been suggested by some team bosses is for Friday qualifying at sprint weekends to decide the grid for the sprint race, which would take place on Saturday morning rather than in the afternoon. Then Saturday afternoon would be devoted to qualifying for the actual grand prix itself.

Should any changes be made to the sprint format, then it would be yet another change to the weekend timetable, something that could risk confusing fans.

Domenicali insists, however, that research shows that tweaking the format does not risk being a turn off for many.

"We have analysed this point,” he said. “I believe that the risk is more related to loyal viewers, who have their own habits, rather than to new fans, who are much more open to change.

“However, there is no big news on the format front. We want to stabilise the six weekends with the sprint race and respect the habits of the long-time fans.”

One of the world’s biggest sports requires one of the world’s biggest cargo shipments to make its way to Las Vegas.

Formula 1 representatives presented a timeline to the LVCVA for 200 tons of equipment and more to arrive in town, well before the November 16 to 18 race.

“This is a very heavy lift for any city. We are aware of what the movement of all of those goods is going to require,” Clark County Chair Jim Gibson said, who sits on the board. F1 is leasing various pieces of land to store the equipment upon arrival.

To reach 14 countries every season, freights must arrive by air, land and sea; equipment includes jacks and trolleys, kitchen equipment, Fan Zone items, and the buildout of the broadcast center. F1 broadcasts to 500 million people with 126 cameras and 37 miles of cable.

Here is the timeline for the equipment arrival:

• Oct 1: 150 containers for the Paddock
• Oct 20: 50 containers from sea freights
• Nov. 5: F1 TV compounds
• Nov. 6: seven cargo planes
• Nov. 12: Teams set up their equipment

A decision on whether extra entries will be accepted is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, with Andretti and Hitech the highest-profile candidates.

The process is run by the FIA, but the F1 organisation also has to agree to allow a new team to join the field.

Existing teams have made clear that they don’t want to let another entrant in and Domenicali has voiced his support for this position, stressing that a newcomer would have to add value to the sport - an argument previously put forward by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.

"On that, I'm not changing my mind,” Domenicali told Motorsport.com. "It's not the money, as we have said, and I don't want to anticipate anything because there is a process and I think that I have respect the fact the FIA launched their process, and very soon we will arrive at the conclusion.

“As we always said, we need to make sure that the decision is right for the business. And this is what I think is the duty of the FIA and us together, that has to be taken. So that is another decision that will be taken in the next couple of months."

Asked if there were positives in allowing the Andretti/Cadillac bid to proceed he said: “There are positives and negatives, that's part of the evaluation that we're doing. So I cannot spoil or anticipate anything.

“We are doing things very seriously and correctly. So as soon as we will be ready for that discussion we're going to inform, as a discussion we're going to take it with the FIA together.”

Another pending decision regards the tyre tender for the period 2025-27, with an option for 2028.

Bridgestone is challenging incumbent Pirelli, and having been approved by the FIA the bids are currently being assessed by Domenicali and F1, with a focus on the commercial aspect.

"It should be close,” he said when asked if a verdict is near. “As always, we're going to decide that together. So it shouldn't take too long for the final decision.

"I mean, I cannot anticipate too much. There are all the elements in place there are technical elements, commercial elements, and economical elements. So all of these things we try to make the right evaluation of, for the best decision for F1 of course.”

Meanwhile, Domenicali acknowledged that some teams have expressed concerns regarding the 2026 power unit package, with Christian Horner calling for a change to the current 50:50 balance between the combustion engine and electrical power.

"I think there's need to always be a balance to understand the comments,” he said. “It's a lot of work to be done in the next couple of weeks, and there are other meetings that will happen in the next weeks to make sure that the evolution of the project is going in the right direction.

“So I want to be positive in the fact that we are going to have the right package, considering of course, the decisions that have been taken with regard to the engine, the power unit and the car itself."

Domenicali acknowledged that much is riding on the 2026 rules, noting that sustainable fuel is a key element.

“Absolutely," he said. "If you look at what we decided on sustainable fuel, now people are understanding the ICE has a value, if you're doing the project with the right sustainable fuel.

“I think there is a great future, not only for mobility but also for racing itself, because, as you know weight and sound are two elements that for us are very important. So we need to keep these two elements at the centre of the agenda.

“I think as always in life, you need to make sure that there is the right balance, and together to have the best vision for the best programme for F1. And I'm convinced that we will achieve that.”

The French GP returned to Circuit Paul Ricard in 2018 after a long absence, but its contract was not renewed after the 2022 event, and it fell off this year’s schedule.

Even before Ricard’s demise was confirmed, a street event in Nice had emerged as a possible replacement, although some observers thought that F1’s interest was also related to its ongoing negotiations with Monaco over a new contract, a situation that has now been resolved.

According to the newspaper Nice-Matin, Nice mayor Christian Estrosi recently wrote to Macron asking for his support and stressing the importance of the French GP.

He responded favourably and gave Estrosi and FFSA president Nicolas Deschaux the responsibility of dealing with F1/Liberty Media and launching a feasibility study for the return of the race, while not committing to a particular venue. Both men were previously involved in getting the event to Paul Ricard.

Macron wrote: "Be sure that I fully share your ambition. Indeed, as you point out, our country must be able, like the other major international sporting events it organises every year, to reconnect with F1, for the pleasure of all.

“It is an issue of attractiveness for our country, the influence of our automotive industry and innovation to support the decarbonisation of this sector."

He added: “As such, you will be able to study the different possible location options [in France], identifying for each their economic model, their compatibility with our ecological commitments and their possible contribution to regional and national development.

“In this context, you will focus on engaging in discussions with the holders of the rights to F1.”

Estrosi’s Nice connections make it an obvious candidate, and it remains to be seen which other cities are given serious consideration.

Macron’s backing is significant, as current Paul Ricard boss Jean Alesi believes that the venue’s disappearance from the calendar was hastened by a lack of political support.

“The problem with F1 in France is not with the circuit, it’s with the politics,” he told Motorsport.com.

“It’s probably the only F1 grand prix that’s never had a president come to watch it – except for at Magny-Cours once, when [Francois] Mitterrand attended as part of his political wish for the race to be there.

“Since then, it’s never happened. The problem is not with the circuit; the problem is the wish of the country. My other job is a F1 Ambassador, so my link to F1 is direct – with no bullshit – and they are very clear about that.”

An F1 source noted that the organisation is open to discussions with Macron’s team to run the race in “an iconic French location.”

Meanwhile, in a related story on Wednesday, the Nice Cote d’Azur metropolitan authorities agreed to pay €5m to help the Public Interest Group of the French GP organisation pay off a €27m debt that it had accrued from the Paul Ricard events.

The move was not without controversy, especially as it came before the delivery of an audit into the activities of the organisation, which is due at the end of the month.

"There is no question of paying an advance of 5 million when there are potential irregularities,” EELV [ecology] MP Fabrice Decoupigny told Nice-Matin.

“You don't vote without knowing. They put the knife to our throat, while at the same time, Christian Estrosi increases the tram ticket by 70% and stops subsidies for electromobility."

One local mayor said: "I asked for the list of creditors, I got nothing. And then, an advance means that we can give more than 5 million. This is enormous in view of the efforts we are asking of our fellow citizens whose taxes have already increased."

The row appears unlikely to help any future efforts to commit public funds to a street race project in Nice.

At next weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, qualifying will look a little different on Saturday.

Formula 1, in conjunction with Pirelli, is testing a new set of rules regarding what tyre compounds teams can use during each segment of qualifying. Titled “‘Alternative Tyre Allocation” (ATA), teams now see their total amount of slick tyre compounds for the weekend reduced from 13 to 11. These will be divided into three hard tyres, four medium tyres, and four soft tyres.

During qualifying, teams are limited in what compounds they can use in dry conditions. Teams are required to use the hard compound during Q1, the medium compound during Q2, and finally they can use the softs during Q3.

If race officials deem track conditions to be “wet,” teams have their choice of compounds.

F1 was going to test this format at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in May, but flooding in the region forced the cancelation of that race. Now, the Hungaroring will be the site of this first tweak to qualifying.

Ahead of the race at Imola in May, Pirelli Motorsport Director Mario Isola outlined how the new rules were an effort towards F1’s goals regarding sustainability.

“At Imola we will be testing a new regulation that requires teams to use a different type of compound for each of the three sessions, with the hards fitted for Q1, the mediums for Q2, and the softs for Q3,” said Pirelli Motorsport Director Mario Isola. “This means a reduction - from 13 to 11 - of the sets of dry tyres that each driver has available for the entire event, therefore decreasing the environmental impact generated by the production and transport of the tyres.”

This will be the first of two trials for the ATA. The second test for this qualifying format will come in September’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza.