Daniel Ricciardo hints at year out to take ‘two steps forward’ in 2024

The Australian will leave McLaren at the end of the season and is yet to find a spot on the grid for 2023

Daniel Ricciardo believes he may have to take a year out in 2023 in order to take “two steps forward” in 2024 as he contemplates his future in F1.

The popular Australian is looking for his sixth team in Formula 1 after McLaren decided to end his contract a year early, with Oscar Piastri instead partnering Lando Norris in 2023.

It leaves Ricciardo currently without a drive next year, with options limited, and the 33-year-old previously hasn’t ruled out taking a year sabbatical away from the sport after eleven-and-a-half straight seasons.

There is currently a vacant seat at Alpine - though Ricciardo’s departure from Renault at the end of 2020 means a return is unlikely - while Haas could also be an option should Mick Schumacher’s contract at the team not be renewed. Williams are also looking for a replacement for Nicholas Latifi.

However Ricciardo looks to be considering taking a year out from the sport with an eye towards 2024, with his short-term future still up in the air.

“When I say I don’t know, I don’t have a contract yet for next year,” Ricciardo told the Fitzy and Wippa radio show in Sydney.

“Could it still happen? It could. I guess I’m not getting too caught up in next year. Of course I want to race, I want to be on the grid, I want to be competing.

Daniel Ricciardo believes he may have to take a year out in 2023 in order to take “two steps forward” in 2024 (Getty Images)

“But I’m not kind of seeing next year as all or nothing. Obviously 2024 is something I want to be aware of and look at.

“So that’s kind of where I’m like. If it means taking a step back to then take two steps forward, that’s what we are trying to figure out at the moment, me and my team. So that could be a year off.”

With six races left of the 2022 season left Ricciardo is 14th in the Drivers Championship, 69 points behind team-mate Norris.