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Daniel Ricciardo reveals he will NOT be in Formula 1 next season after being eliminated by McLaren, but Aussie insists he is merely ‘pausing’ his career as he vows to return to the grid in 2024
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Daniel Ricciardo has almost confirmed he will not race in Formula 1 next season, admitting he will ‘pause’ his career in the sport after losing his McLaren seat.
The Australian will leave the Woking team at the end of the season to be replaced by compatriot Oscar Piastri.
Ricciardo was under contract with McLaren until the end of the 2023 season, but after two disappointing seasons, the team chose to split up earlier than planned.
Daniel Ricciardo has confirmed he will not be in Formula 1 next year
And in a great reveal on Saturday, the eight-time Grand Prix winner admitted he will not be on the grid next year.
“I think the reality now is that I won’t be on the grid in 2023,” he said Fox Sports after finishing 11th in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka.
“I think now it’s just trying to line up for 2024. I think there could be some better odds then, so that’s really what confirms all of this and now it’s visor.’
Last month, Ricciardo, who will receive a $14 million payout from McLaren as part of the deal, confirmed that he was exploring his options for next season.
Ricciardo leaves McLaren at the end of the season, a year earlier than expected
The Australian has endured two very difficult seasons at McLaren since joining in 2021
He held talks with Alpine, who were reportedly reluctant to offer him a seat after he walked away from the French team in its previous guise – when it raced under the Renault brand – to join McLaren in 2020.
On Saturday, Alpine confirmed that the Pierre . had signed AlphaTauri’s Gasly on a multi-year deal, leaving Williams and Haas the only teams yet to finalize their lineups for next season.
Ricciardo admitted the news came as no surprise.
“I knew they had been talking for a while and I knew they were very interested in Pierre.
Ricciardo will be replaced at McLaren in 2023 by compatriot Oscar Piastri (above)
Pierre Gasly leaves AlphaTauri to join Alpine for 2023 Formula 1 season
“Let’s just say I was prepared for that and” [it was] no surprise, so we tried to work our way there and figure out what the next step was.”
As speculation about his future mounted over the season, the 33-year-old was linked with a move to NASCAR and even V8 Supercars. However, Ricciardo insisted he would not leave Formula 1 and would now focus on securing a seat for 2024.
“Certainly the plan is still to be involved in Formula 1,” he said. “It’s like hitting pause, the way I see it.
“As far as my F1 career is concerned, the full intention is for 2024.
The 33-year-old has insisted he is determined to return to the Formula 1 grid in 2024
‘If I feel it’ [racing in other series] If it’s going to deviate from my target, I’ll still say it’s not real what I’m looking at.
“As fun or cool as it sounds to get involved in something else, the truth is, I’m not there mentally yet.
“I’m still so busy with it, and I think a little free time will do me good. I’d probably use that instead of trying to jump in and keep busy in a different category.
“I’d say pretty convincingly it wouldn’t happen anywhere else.”