Daniel Ricciardo insists he deserves to drive in Formula One next season

A defiant Daniel Ricciardo still believes he has plenty to offer in Formula One with the veteran Australian’s future at McLaren hanging by a thread.

Reports claim McLaren are primed to axe the 33-year-old in favour of young hotshot Oscar Piastri, after a disappointing season in which Ricciardo has registered just X top 10 finishes.

A merry-go-round of driver moves has seen Fernando Alonso replace the retiring Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin, while academy driver Piastri, 21, has snubbed a promotion into Alpine’s line-up.

That means, should the Woking-based outfit replace Ricciardo with his fellow countryman, the veteran could still have a place on the grid with Alpine if the French team decide to go with him. 

And Ricciardo insists that he is still at the level required to occupy one of the 20 grid positions in Formula One for 2023. 

‘There’s certainly a few things,’ he told Speedcafe. ‘I believe I still thrive off it because I still believe I belong [in Formula 1] and can do it. 

‘That’s what really gets me jacked. And the love of it, as well as knowing any weekend it could be there, it could be around the corner.

The axe looms over his head with McLaren seeking to replace him with Oscar Piastri

‘Monza last year…a week before at Zandvoort nobody was predicting that, not even myself, so even just the thought of a weekend like that could be one week away, it’s pretty cool.’

Ricciardo is fully aware that a grid place is a precious commodity but he is driven by the desire to cement his position among the sport’s elite. 

‘Like, the competition…it has to be one of the only sports in the world where there’s only 20 people doing it,’ he added.

But the 33-year-old Australian insists that he is at the level required to remain in the sport

‘The competition is such like a small 0.001 per cent of a group. So to be able to not only be part of that group but to compete inside that group, that’s such a unique thing in itself. And so I love that.

‘The truth is, the highs you get are just so high because so much goes into it. Of course you take risks. 

‘Like to win a race for example, you haven’t gone for a Sunday drive, you’ve put it all on the line, the team have, you’ve pushed your body mentally and physically. So then the high and the reward is pretty amazing and pretty spectacular.’