Ricciardo to rejoin Red Bull in reserve role

Daniel Ricciardo is to rejoin Red Bull as its reserve driver for the 2023 F1 season.

The Australian was a free agent after agreeing to terminate his McLaren contract a year early following two seasons of largely disappointing results.

After declaring he would not be racing in F1 next year, Ricciardo indicated he would seek to join a top team as a reserve with the hope of earning a position on the grid for the following season.

Although Ricciardo has yet to sign a contract, motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko has confirmed Ricciardo will return to Red Bull as a back-up option should either Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez be unable to race.

"Ricciardo will be our third driver," Marko told Sky Germany after first practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

"We have so many sponsors, we have to do show runs and the like, so of course, he's one of the most high-profile and best-suited."

It will be a return to his roots for the 33-year-old as Ricciardo came through the Red Bull junior system.

Following a debut with Hispania Racing midway through the 2011 season, Ricciardo joined Toro Rosso in 2012 and spent two years at Faenza before promotion to Red Bull from 2014.

Across his five years at Milton Keynes, Ricciardo won seven grands prix and twice finished third in the drivers' standings before switching to Renault in 2019.

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