Ricciardo on the mend, shows post-surgery stitches

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Daniel Ricciardo took to social media on Friday to show that he was on the mend and in rehab after surgery to his left hand in the wake of his crash in practice at last month's Dutch Grand Prix.

Ricciardo sustained a fractured metacarpal when he crashed in FP2 at Zandvoort, a mishap that has temporarily taken the Aussie off the F1 grid.

The 34-year-old underwent surgery in Barcelona under the care of famed MotoGP traumatologist Dr. Xavier Mir who also handled Lance Stroll's cycling crash injuries earlier this year.

Two weeks on, Ricciardo posted an image on his Instagram account of his stitched up left hand along with a short two-word message: "Relatively unchanged".

Read also: Lawson 'disappointed' to miss out on points in Italian GP

The post also features a brief video in which the AlphaTauri driver is seen miming lyrics to the song 'Drivers License' by Olivia Rodrigo, while a third picture shows Ricciardo sweating it out in the gym.

The eight-time Grand Prix winner returned to the fray in Hungary earlier this summer when he replaced the underperforming Nyck de Vries.

It's unclear how long Ricciardo will remain sidelined, with a return dependent on his physical progress during his rehabilitation process.

However, the Qatar Grand Prix in the first week of October has been cited as the venue where the Aussie is most likely to return to active duty.

In the interim, Kiwi Liam Lawson will continue to substitute for Ricciardo at Red Bull.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.