Ricciardo reveals DEAL-BREAKER for F1 return

Harry Smith
Monday 10 July 2023 22:27

Daniel Ricciardo has explained that he needs assurances of a path into the Red Bull main setup if he is to make a full-time return to F1 with AlphaTauri next season.

The 33-year-old has been absent from the F1 grid this season after leaving McLaren a year earlier than expected at the conclusion of the 2022 season.

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However, there could be a potential saving grace for Ricciardo's F1 career with Nyck de Vries fighting hard to keep his seat with AlphaTauri for the 2024 campaign.

The Dutch driver looks set to lose his place on the grid following an underwhelming start to life in F1, with Ricciardo joining Ayumu Iwasa, Liam Lawson and IndyCar sensation Alex Palou in the battle for his seat.

Red Bull or bust for Ricciardo

“I’m remaining open-minded," Ricciardo explained to Crash.net ahead of the British Grand Prix weekend.

"If it’s like, 'This is you and you are signing a three-year deal and that’s the only place you are going to be,' then no, that’s maybe not the deal I would look for.

“But if there’s the possibility to obviously be here (at Red Bull).

"The truth is this is where I want to be. I’m not going to weave my way around it."

Ricciardo then doubled down on his commitment to securing an F1 return with Red Bull.

“If that creates a path to get back here then yeah it’s something I would look at because ultimately this is the place where I want to get back to.”

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