Daniel Ricciardo won’t be on the grid in 2023 as the Australian eyes a comeback like Nico Hulkenberg in 2024.
McLaren axed Daniel Ricciardo following a subpar 2022 season from the Aussie. Arguably his time at McLaren was one of the worst periods in his career taking the Monza win in 2021 as an exception. Besides that one win, Ricciardo’s stay at McLaren was mainly filled with struggles. The Aussie couldn’t adapt to this team after leaving Renault in 2020.
Nevertheless, Ricciardo won’t be on the grid in 2023. The eight-time race winner failed to secure a seat for 2023. Ricciardo is now returning to his old team – red bull as the third driver in 2023. The Australian is set to stay away from the track however, we will indeed catch some glimpses of him on the sidelines.
Ricciardo aims to return to the grid in 2024. How he will do so remains under speculation. Regardless, taking the current season as an example, we can indeed say that many things can change over a year.
Ricciardo eyes a comeback like Hulkenberg
F1 has had its fair share of drivers leaving the sport only to join full-time again. Ricciardo also takes inspiration from such drivers. The most notable of the comebacks are the ones made by current drivers Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso, and Kevin Magnussen. Hulkenberg has again got a chance in 2023 to drive for Haas alongside Hulkenberg, who marked his return to the sport this year after losing his seat at the end of 2020.
Talking about his comeback plans, Daniel Ricciardo mentioned Nico Hulkenberg as he takes inspiration from the likes of Magnussen and Alonso:
“Hulkenback – he needs to change his name, because he’s come back so many times now. It’s no more berg, it’s back,”
said Ricciardo, talking to Crash.net.
“There is certainly something. I know myself obviously better than anyone knows me, and I know what I need or what I feel will help me and things like that, so I have confidence in taking the year off, because I know what good it will do for me.”
“But of course then when you see other examples – and pretty good examples; Alonso or Magnussen, for example – that’s kind of reassuring.”
“We’re all wired differently, and the year off could have a different effect on all of us, but actually I look at Alonso, for example, someone who loves racing all the time, and him having that time off and coming back.”
“I feel like for me to really remove myself a bit more than maybe what he would have done will be even more powerful for me personally and what I feel I benefit from.“
“Long story short, that sort of stuff encourages me. It’s the icing on the cake in terms of me feeling like I’ve done the right thing.”
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