Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo confirms talks with Haas: Nico Hülkenberg will take over Mick Schumacher’s cockpit at Haas for the coming Formula 1 season. For team boss Günther Steiner, the driver from Emmerich was not the only option. Daniel Ricciardo was also on the US racing team’s list, as the Australian has now revealed.
Long before Mick Schumacher’s departure from Haas was confirmed, there was speculation about a possible successor for the German at the US racing team. Numerous names were traded, some more, others less prominent. The most famous among them: Daniel Ricciardo.
The Australian had a difficult time at McLaren, and his replacement at the end of the season was expected early on by many experts and insiders. Also by Haas team boss Günther Steiner, as Ricciardo revealed in the Beyond The Grid podcast.
Haas change not an option for Ricciardo
Ricciardo confirmed that he received a call from Günther Steiner during the season to discuss a possible move to Haas. Asked if he had had an option for a regular cockpit in the 2023 Formula One season, the 33-year-old said the South Tyrolean had contacted him. In the end, however, he had not considered a move to the US team.
“The more days went by, the more I realised that it wasn’t about any calls I received. It was about the fact that in the end I just don’t want to race next year [2023].
“That’s why I’m kind of glad no top team came forward, because it’s one of those things where you feel ‘Oh, I have to sign’.” Deep down, though, he said he simply wanted to get away from Formula 1.
Ricciardo talks about burnout
It could certainly be described as a kind of burnout, Ricciardo added:
“I’m not afraid to admit it. Everyone will have their opinion about it, but in the end I know how I feel. I know what I want.”
He did not want to say that he is the only driver who ticks like that. But he is simply someone who gets lost in things. Things where he feels “I feel the power of a break for me, recover and then come back better”.
In the end, the story had a happy ending for all sides. Ricciardo returned to the Red Bull and will be able to recharge his battery there as number three behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez. His rejection from Haas simultaneously opened the door for Nico Hülkenberg, who will eventually have a regular cockpit again next season.
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