Red Bull eliminate Ricciardo 'time travel' fear

Sam Hall
Wednesday 30 November 2022 15:00 - Updated: 15:00

Daniel Ricciardo has revealed how Red Bull laid to rest concerns that he would be travelling back in time with his third driver role next season.

The Australian will serve as the backup option for Red Bull in 2023 after parting company with McLaren.

Far from being the rookie that he was when he last served in a reserve capacity with Toro Rosso in 2011, Ricciardo's role will reflect his experience level.

"Obviously, on both sides we were clear and I didn't need to say it," Ricciardo told the Beyond the Grid podcast.

"They said, 'Look, we appreciate where you are in your career and how many races you've done. You're not going to be going back in time, standing in the back of the garage and just being a bit of a fly on the wall'.

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"Yes, I'll be involved. If I want to attend some debriefs, I will. I'll do some simulator work, but I would say it's as much, for now, a marketing role as it is a driver position."

Red Bull complete a large number of events each year with David Coulthard often on hand to wow the fans with high-speed runs and doughnuts, duties that he is likely to share with Ricciardo moving forward.

"I think with the sport growing as it is, they also see how I could be a good advocate for them as a brand, as a team and all that," added Ricciardo.

"So it'll be a mix of driver duties, in terms of the sim and that, but also where I could definitely contribute as well is also my experience.

"And having been through a few environments in recent years and returning to Red Bull, [I'll be] seeing how that team has grown and trying to contribute and help out where I can."