When McLaren announced last year that they would be replacing Daniel Ricciardo with Oscar Piastri for 2023, fans were left worrying if they would ever see the Australian on the grid again.
The 33-year-old was quick to ease their fears, claiming that no matter what he does in 2023, it will all be a part of his plan to return to the grid with a top team in 2024.
Ricciardo decided to reject a race seat with Haas to re-join Red Bull as their third driver, where he will complete simulator work and attend promotional events to take some of the weight off of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez’s shoulders.
Speaking recently to Sky Sports however, it appears that Ricciardo is unsure whether he still wants to return to racing in F1, claiming that he will know what his future holds after a few race weekends.
READ: Daniel Ricciardo admits perk of leaving McLaren
“I think I’ll get my answer [on whether I want to return] inside… an internal feeling,” he said.
“I’m sure I’ll get that before the summer once the season starts, once I’ve been in the sim and gone to a few races.
“I think I’ll get my answer what I truly want to do and yeah, work towards whatever that is.”
With the Australian determined to return to the grid with a top team, it seems as if Ricciardo’s doors are all shutting in front of him, with every Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull driver tied down to a long-term contract.
READ: McLaren reveal detail about 2023 Formula 1 car ahead of launch
There were rumours that Ricciardo could have been in line to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, but with the Brit on the verge of signing a multi-year contract extension with the Silver Arrows, this now looks unlikely.
It was also suggested that Ricciardo could step up to take Sergio Perez’s race seat, should the Mexican not live up to expectations this season.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has explained that this is not the case however, claiming that his team have no reason to not honour their contract with Perez, which currently runs until the end of the 2024 season.