‘Call me up’ if you want F1 2023 seat, Steiner tells Ricciardo

Ricciardo is without a drive for next season after losing his McLaren seat to Oscar Piastri, with the Australian admitting in Japan that him not being on the F1 grid in 2023 is now “the reality”, despite two seats being available at Haas and Williams. 

Haas are yet to finalise their 2023 driver line-up but current incumbent Mick Schumacher is thought to be in direct competition with ex-Renault racer Nico Hulkenberg to be named as Kevin Magnussen’s teammate. 

However, Haas boss Steiner has not completely ruled Ricciardo out of the equation, though he said it is up to the 33-year-old to get in touch with the team. 

“If he’s interested in us, he’s not shy to call me up. I am not going to chase him down,” Steiner told The Associated Press. 

Steiner admitted that eight-time grand prix winner Ricciardo has obvious appeal to Haas, but stressed he must first decide what he wants to do with his F1 future. 

“I want him to decide what he wants to do for himself, first, before being talked into something,” Steiner continued. 

“I think he’s a good driver and I don’t know how he got in the situation he’s in now, but I think he needs to come clean with himself and decide what he’s going to do.” 

Steiner added: “For us he would be a big hit. He was a race winner and now he is without a job.

“He was a race winner just last year. I rate him as a driver, I have no idea why he doesn’t perform right now. That is for him to figure out.”

Given the latest quotes to come from the Haas camp, it seems unlikely that a special team press conference scheduled on Thursday ahead of their home race at the United States Grand Prix will be driver-related. 

Ricciardo ‘needs’ break from F1 

Ricciardo has made it clear he is not interested in racing in another series and is targeting a return to F1 in 2024. 

He has also been linked with a reserve role at Mercedes, who have lost their current reserve driver Nyck de Vries to AlphaTauri for 2023. 

Speaking to Sky Sports at the Japanese Grand Prix, Ricciardo conceded that he “needs” a break from the sport in order to “reset”. 

"It's something I've certainly evaluated since the summer break," Ricciardo said. 

"I wanted to give it a few races and the more time that passes, the more I feel like it's what I need. Albeit as well the opportunities... there's not really anything in the form of next year!

"It's part I would like the break and need to reset a little bit, and part 2024 as well, some other things may open up."