No free practice for Ricciardo is the latest to come out in the Formula 1 news after the launch of Red Bull’s fake RB19 that’s actually an RB18. In 2023, the Red Bull reserve driver is not expected to take part in any free practice sessions on race weekends. Daniel Ricciardo will concentrate primarily on his work in the simulator. A kick in the balls for the Aussie and his loyal fans.

Daniel Ricciardo does not expect to take part in any free practice sessions this year with Red Bull, with Red Bull insisting that the Australian will focus primarily on his work in the simulator at Milton Keynes and take part in some demonstrations for his team. Ricciardo dutifully toed the line during the presser for the New York livery launch non-event.

Now a reserve and development driver for the Red Bull team, Daniel Ricciardo is set to spend a year off and will not be on the grid at Grands Prix at all, much to the dismay of his fans. His new role will be to help the team’s regular drivers develop the car throughout the season by driving in the team’s simulator, while he will also have the opportunity to take part in a few demonstrations in older cars.

“I might get a tyre test… maybe”

As for a possible drive in one or more free practice sessions during the season, the Australian admits that this is not yet in the pipeline, but he does not rule out the idea of being able to drive in some Pirelli tests.

“From a driving point of view, the simulator will be the main thing I’ll be doing this year,” said Ricciardo on the sidelines of the Red Bull RB19 presentation in New York on Friday.

“There are also some events, so I’ll be doing shows throughout the year. After that it’s not confirmed, so I don’t know if it will happen, but I know there are tyre tests.”

“I would say that if I’m ever going to drive this year’s car, [tyre] testing is probably more likely than EL1. So there’s potentially some tyre testing in the middle of the year and that’s something that could be done, but mainly I’ll be in the simulator.”

Daniel Ricciardo will use this year off to see if he still has the desire to drive as a Formula 1 regular after a complicated 2022 for him at McLaren. The Australian driver could then try to find a seat on the grid for 2024.

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