Ricciardo could ‘sacrifice’ 2023 for a big team spot in 2024.

Although Lewis Hamilton recently said that Daniel Ricciardo “too talented not to compete formula 1 next year”The Australian doesn’t seem to have much of a chance of being in the first start of next season.

Ricciardo had the option to extend his contract with McLaren in 2023, but the British team canceled his contract with the 33-year-old Australian and compensated him to pair Oscar Piastri alongside Lando Norris from the start.

It is currently unknown if the terms of McLaren’s compensation will get Ricciardo out of Formula 1 in 2023, but the truth is that there doesn’t seem to be any strong interest in him from the five teams that currently have a vacancy for the next have season. Year.

Alpine appear to have settled on signing Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly or alternatively Nick de Vries after the Dutchman’s impressive debut at the Italian GP with Williams.

Alpha Tauri wants De Vries to replace Gasly, Haas prefers Antonio Giovinazzi or Nico Hulkenberg, Alfa Romeo completes Guanyi Chow’s contract extension while Williams claims De Vries – although it doesn’t seem like such an attractive option for Ricciardo either.

The latter admitted in a speech on Australian radio show Fitzy and Wippa that it is very likely that the script will remain out of Formula 1 in 2023: “When I say I don’t know [τι θα κάνω], means I don’t have a contract for next year. It may still exist. Could. But I’m not so attached to next year. Of course I want to compete, to be at the start.

But I don’t see all or nothing next year. 2024 is the year I want to focus my attention on. That said, if I can take one step back in 2023 to take two steps forward in 2024, then I’m trying to think about it with my team right now. So [το 2023] I could spend a year outside. But with the thought of starting again in 2024,” Ricciardo closed.