The unsuccessful text message sent to Daniel Ricciardo
Ricciardo enters the F1 Mexico City Grand Prix knowing he may only have three races left because he won’t be in the F1 2023 driver line-up after he leaves McLaren at the end of this year.
The veteran Australian has seen vacant seats at Alpine, Williams, AlphaTauri and Haas but hasn’t opted to join any of them.
Haas team principal Steiner admitted he sent a text to Ricciardo - when asked why the driver had no interest, he replied: “I think you need to ask Danny that one, not me, about why he doesn’t want to race.
“I don’t know if it’s something against Haas or he has just decided to do something different for a year. I cannot guess what he wants to do. I have no idea what to answer you.”
Ricciardo said about the option provided by Steiner: “I was aware that there is a seat at Haas potentially available and a seat at Williams potentially available, so it’s nothing new to me.”
Haas have Kevin Magnussen tied down but Mick Schumacher’s contract is due to expire at the end of this season and his seat next year is an uncertainty. Nico Hulkenberg has also been linked with replacing Schumacher.
Ricciardo inspired by Lewis Hamilton longevity
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton is 37 and Alpine’s Fernando Alonso is 41 - both expect to remain in F1 even beyond 2023.
Ricciardo said about his uncertain future: “When my team were trying to put together a plan that I believe in, that is going to set me up for success in the long-term – I know I’m 33 but I look at Alonso, I look at Lewis and if I want to be here, and I still know I have it in my heart, then I know I can.
“It’s really not now just looking at next year and jumping into the first available seat. I want to say it’s not new but I’m trying to look a little bit beyond that and back myself to be winning races again.”
Ricciardo is set to take a reserve driver role with Mercedes, Sky’s Ted Kravitz has reported.
The Australian is 12th in the F1 standings, with just 29 points compared to his teammate Lando Norris' 109 points, amid a torrid 2022.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
