Daniel Ricciardo is currently the second most successful F1 driver in the sport not to win a drivers’ world title. Yet having been dismissed by McLaren a year before his contract expires he appears to have no Formula one drive for 2023. The Aussie driver has refused to entertain drives with “less competitive” F1 teams and “has a plan” to get back to the front of the Formula One grid.

TJ13 has questioned Ricciardo’s decision making process because the “less competitive” team seats available for next season, will be similar in 2024.

 

 

Ricciardo nope taking a sabbatical

Daniel was asked again about his future during the driver press event in Austin.

“You will see me around,” Ricciardo said. “It’s going to look different for me, but there is still very much still a plan in place.

“So, it’s not that I am checking out and saying ‘see you later’, it’s far from that.

“I’m just putting in a plan to honestly try to get me back to the front of the grid and win races and do all the stuff I know I can do.”

 

 

Ricciardo most successful non F1 driver on the grid

Apart from the world champions amongst the current crop of F1 drivers only Valteri Bottas has more F1 race wins than Ricciardo with 10 to his name; Ricciardo has 8 victory’s.

Further Bottas wins came during the era where the Mercedes cars was all dominant and Ricciardo has never been in a championship wining car.

Even Ferrari’s superstar driver Charles LeClerc has won just 5 F1 races and his team mate Carlos Sainz scored his one and only F1 race win this season at this seasons British Grand Prix.

The other F1 drivers currently on the grid with F1 race wins include Sergio Perez with 4, 2 of which have come this season in the all conquering RB18. 

The remaining GP winner s are Alpha Tauri driver Pierre gassy and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon with one Formula One grand prix to their names.

 

 

Year out not the best plan for Daniel

Since his sacking by McLaren F1 Ricciardo has talked about having a year out and a “reset” to refresh his mind before returning to F1 in 2024. 

The Aussie described his time for the last two seasons at McLaren as “a grind” and Ricciardo has been linked with Mercedes to become their reserve driver for 2023.

When asked about having Ricciardo for a reserve team mate, Lewis Hamilton smiled and replied.

“I think he’s far too talented and he’s earned the right to be amongst us all racing. If he’s part of our team that’d be great, but a third role is not really what’s best for him.”

 

 

Hamilton wants Ricciardo racing

Hamilton added of the eight-time race-winner: “If I was managing him, he’d be racing.”

Riccioardo was asked again about his future during the driver press event in Austin.

“You will see me around,” Ricciardo said. “It’s going to look different for me, but there is still very much still a plan in place.

“So, it’s not that I am checking out and saying ‘see you later’, it’s far from that.

“I’m just putting in a plan to honestly try to get me back to the front of the grid and win races and do all the stuff I know I can do.”

 

 

How does Ricciardo return to the “front of the grid?”

A return to the front of the grid for Ricciardo is not on the cars given Ferrari have LeClerc and Sainz locked in on deals that run into 2024 and beyond and as do Mercedes with George Russell. 

Lewis Hamilton’s contract expires at the end of 2023, but he has strongly indicated he wants to continue after that.

Its inconceivable Mercedes would not make Lewis an offer.

Yet today the paddock gossip believes Ricciardo is about to announce a return to Red Bull racing.

 

 

Ricciardo Red Bull return

Ted Kravitz revealed during FP3 in Austin, “I’ve got some good news for Daniel Ricciardo fans. He may not have a race drive for next ear but we do understand he has closed out a reserve driver role next year. So he will be around and about the Formula One paddock next year..”

Kravitz added, “We thought Mercedes [would be where Ricciardo goes] because they now have a vacancy because Nyck de Vries their [current] reserve driver is going to Alpha Tauri.”

“But I’m told its not Mercedes, which only leaves Red Bull who have a reserve driver on hand at every race,”

Sky F1 commentator was negative about the possibility stating, “

“I thought for him he’d be better having a clean break and then coming back. Maybe just keeping your foot in the door, doing some simulator work [is ideal].”

“Trudging around around Formula One tracks not participating  takes a pretty old tough mindset.”

Ricciardo has persistently said he has a plan to return to the front of the grid, despite open offers from Gunther Steiner at Haas F1.

 

 

Sergio Perez no complimentary F1 driving style

So it maybe his conversations with Red Bull revolve around replacing Sergio Perez who has a 1 plus 1 year contract with the team that coyly end next year. Should Perez bomb in 2023 the door would be open for Ricciardo to resume as Verstappen’s team mate. 

Ricciardo outscored Verstappen over their 3 season together between 2016/18 with 457 world championship points compared to Verstappen’s 377.

The Aussie also notched 18 podium positions in that time, compared to his team-mate’s 11. Both drivers secured three race victories, and though Verstappen was usually considered to be quicker over one lap,  Ricciardo was the more consistent racer – the record is tight when it came to qualifying.

Verstappen only led  21-20 in that intra-team qualifying battle and Ricciardo scored the only pole during their time together as team mates.

 

 

RB18/19 suits Ricciardo driving style

The new Formula one regulations for 2022 saw the RB18 car perform early with plenty of understeer. Perez prefers this kind of driving style and performed well against his team mate Verstappen.

Yet as the season has progressed, Red Bull have developed the car more towards one which is rear end limited with a precise front end that understeers which is to Verstappen’s liking.

This has seen Sergio fall away in relative terms both during qualifying and the race from the 2022 world champion Max Verstappen.

Finally and of note, Ricciardo likes an F1 car that performs similarly to the way Verstappen drives. So it could be Red Bull are looking to ditch the increasingly distant Perez and replace him in 2024 with their driver of old – Daniel Ricciardo.

READ MORE: Red Bull F1 future in doubt as owner dies

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff offers his thoughts on qualifying and pays his respects to Dietrich Mateschitz. pic.twitter.com/NJSkI6DnTx

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 22, 2022