Ricciardo was heavily linked to Haas last year after it em𝓰erged that McLaren were terminating their deal with him.

Steiner was caught by the Netflix ‘Drive To Survive’🦩 cameras ♌considering approaching Ricciardo as a replacement for Mick Schumacher, but he was too expensive.

Team principal Steiner was asked by Sky if Ricciardo was an option for 2024 but said: “No. Not🍷 at the moment.

“Daniel is wit❀h Rꦰed Bull, I don’t know how long for.

“I was with Daniel on the plan🎃e to Australia. We had a🅠 chat.

“Not abo𝔍ut the contract, just about general life and wha💝t’s going on.

“But we didn’t even go there, to be honest!

“Daniel wa🐓nted to take a year out then see what he wants to do next.

“When he is ready, he will phone🌳 people up and say ‘I am ready’.”

Haas eventually replaced Schumacher with Nico Hulkenberg, who is paired with🐼 Ke൲vin Magnussen.

Will Daniel Ricciardo return to F1?

Ricciardo is the☂ third driver for Red Bull, and made his first appearance in the F1 paddock of 2023 at his home race, the Australian Grand Prix.

Sky reporter Ted Kravitz said: “He’s cut a bit of a sad fig𝕴ure I want to say.

"He's been on the pit wඣall, the Red Bull pit wall and I think he's starting to feel the pain of not being a Formula 1 driver. The first race he has been to as not a Formula 1 driver for a long time. And I get a sense he is starting to feel it a little bit.

"I saw Danny Ric on the Red Bull pit wall watching ♏the🤪 sessions and he looked to be in pain, he looked to be hating it.”

Ricciardo said about his potential comeback❀ next year: “I don’t want to go back to ground zero. I don’t want to just be on the grid [in order] to be on the grid and struggle in 18th place. So I don’t want to be on the grid at any cost.

“I know that it’s harder to just jump straight into a top team in terms of ava𝓰ilability. But I know that’s where I want to be. I know I thrive in those situ🅺ations when there is more on the line.”