‘I’m okay with that’ - Daniel Ricciardo braced for year out of F1 with options limited
McLaren and Ricciardo reached an agreement to terminate his contract one year early after his struggles to match teammate Lando Norris, with McLaren signing Oscar Piastri for 2023 after winning a contract battle with Alpine for his services.
Ricciardo was determined to stay on the F1 grid next season but his options of landing a compe🃏titive drive are limited, with only three realistic seats left available at Alpine, Williams a▨nd Haas.
Speaking after last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, the Australian admitted he is now braced for a year on the sideli♑nes.
“I’ve certainly accepted, if I’m not to be on the grid next year, I’m okay with that൲,” said Ric𝔍ciardo.
“So I’ve accepted that I’m not going to do everything, or my [management] team’s not going to dဣo everything, just to put me on the grid if it’s not right or it doesn’t make sense.
“Obviously this year’s been challenging and if I am on the grid, I want to know that it’s a place that I can♓ enjoy it and feel like I can thrive. An environment I feel I can thrive in.
“I don’t want to j🙈ust jump into a car for the sake of it.”
The e൲ight-time grand prix winner said he would use the three-week break ahead of the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix to decide what he is going to do in 2023.
“Days like this certainly are pretty frustrating,” Ricciardo said after retiring from eighth place at Monza. “But give it 24, 48 hours and I’ll get over it and try to understand what♑’s best for next year.
“Not in an overconfident ꧟or cocky way, but it’s not meant to be, then I’m totally okay with that. I’m not going to be to♏o proud.
“We haven’t certainly given up on it, but that’s kind of wh♋ere my head’s at, at the♚ moment.”
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