Ricciardo protected himself: 'At this level of sport, that is dangerous'

Daniel Ricciardo will return to Red Bull Racing next season to take on the role of reserve driver. Although he would have preferred to be among the 20 permanent drivers in 2023, the Australian believes that the gap year with the Austrian formation can indeed help him take the next step.

Early in his career, Ricciardo managed to impress, but since leaving Red Bull his performance went downhill. During his final year at McLaren, he found that a year without extreme pressure would suit him.

The decision to become a reserve driver was therefore quickly made. "It’s a privilege but it is also demanding," he analysed in talking with Speedcafe.com about his years in Formula 1. "We are really good at what we do, but we’re also still human and we still get tired, exhausted, fatigued. And at this level of sport, that is dangerous."

"You can’t be operating at 99 percent, even. So I really felt I was in fear of not being at my best if I did another year." Ricciardo therefore decided to compare his options side by side and entered talks with Mercedes and Red Bull, among others.

Ricciardo hints at returning in 2024

The latter team managed to convince him to make the switch. "It’s nice to be in a winning environment, I think you learn a lot. If there’s not a seat with them, potentially they can help find a seat elsewhere." Ricciardo hopes to return to the grid in 2024.