Daniel Ricciardo “talking to teams” over F1 stay - George Russell opens door to Mercedes role
The McLaren driver enjoyed a rare positive outing in 2022 at the F1 Mexico City Grand Prix, finishing 𝓰in P7, but has just two races remaining with his future unclear.
Ricciardo’s contract with McLaren will be terminated a year early and he won’t be in the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:F1 2023 driver line-up, but has been linked to a rese🐼rve driver ro꧟le at Mercedes.
“Yeah, it would be interesting,” Russell said🧔 to Sky a💜bout Ricciardo joining.
“I’d like to see that. We have♒ to see what he wan🦩ts to do in the future.”
🧸Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff had been spotted wearing Ricciardo’s mercha𓂃ndise but denied that it hinting towards a link-up.
“I am promoting his merch! Honestly I ju🍃st like it,” Wolff said. “They took a photo of me and posted it o♏nline.”
Ricciardo teased: “I gave George a sweater. Toto messaged saying he really liked it so I gave him onꦆe too!”
Vacant ꦓseats with Alpine, Haas and Williams have passed without Riccꦐiardo signing up.
He said about 🔯his limited opꦰtions: “If there was a lot, I’d probably be in a race seat.
“But there is enough to keep me interested.
“I want to stay act🌃ive to some degree. I’m aware that doing nothing for a year is🔯 not good.”
Ricciardo claimed “I honestly don’t” know which team he will join in 2023 but “the plan” was to remain in F1, albeit n✨oඣt in a race seat.
“I am talking to teams,” 🦋he said. “I still want to keep a foot🧔 in the door for 2024.
“Seeing the lights go out for race one, I will have an itch🌠!”
Ricciardo sits 12th in the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:F1 standings after being comprehensively outperformed by teammate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lando Norris all year. He will be replaced by rookie 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Oscar Piastri next season.
“The last two years have b𓆉een quite hard,” he admitted. “You put a lot in, and when it doesn’t come back, it can get you down.
“I know ൩the value of a summer break. Stepping away can give🃏 you a different perspective.
“The season is pretty relentless, you don’t get a chance to 🍨rebuild💛.
“I truly believe it will be a blessing in disg🅠uise.
“I can confidently say that I won’t be on ওthe grid behind a wheel.
“But I still want to be in the spor💜t, working with a team. Still with the ambition to be back on the grid in 2024.
“That’s where 🍌my head is at. Time away from a race seat will do me good.
“I’m not done. But it will look different.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering e♌verything from American sports, to football, to F1.
