Ricciardo in other series after all? 'That would be interesting'

Time and again, Daniel Ricciardo has said that he consciously wants to distance himself from Formula 1, after a season full of disappointments at McLaren. That team pushed him aside at the expense of Oscar Piastri, while Ricciardo could not find a new seat.

Next season, the Australian will return to Red Bull Racing, where he will take on the role of test and reservedriver. So should Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez for some reason be unable to compete at a Grand Prix, Ricciardo will be the obvious choice to act as a replacement. Still, this does not mean that the routine driver will travel with the F1 circus every weekend.

Ricciardo is quietly looking to recharge and to return to the grid full-time in 2024. In Formula 1, as he has stated on several occasions, because that is where his focus lies. He does not seek a move to IndyCar, for instance, if only because he does not want to race on ovals. Other racing classes do not have Ricciardo's full interest at the moment either. For instance, he was asked by Auto, Motor und Sport. being asked if the World Endurance championship was not an option? The answer was: "A race like Le Mans could be interesting. But not the whole series. That would be the same life as now, just with different cars."

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is run on a weekend when Formula 1 is not active. For many drivers, it is a dream to win this race once. Le Mans, along with the Indy 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix, are considered the crown jewels of motorsport.