Following a failed 2-year stint at McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo cleared his intentions of not racing as a regular in 2023. The Australian driver has however kept the possibility of a return in 2024 open with eyes on a reserve driver’s role next year. While his being in contact with Mercedes and Red Bull is no secret, the latter’s team advisor Helmut Marko has provided a big update on the situation.

The Honey Badger arrived at the Woking-based team with huge expectations. Expectations he couldn’t live up to. While he managed to score a win in Italy last year, he hasn’t replicated the form ever since. The current season has been even more disappointing as he has once again fallen behind his teammate Lando Norris in the points tally.

Helmut Marko provides an update on Daniel Ricciardo’s reserve driver situation

Max Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull runs until the end of 2028. The Dutchman is undoubtedly Red Bull’s golden boy and there are no signs of him leaving the team sooner. His teammate Sergio Perez, however, has his contract only until the end of 2024, and that is where Ricciardo’s hopes of making a comeback for Red Bull lie. Therefore, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if he would choose the Milton-Keynes-based outfit over the Silver Arrows.

Giving an insight into the conversations with Daniel, Helmut Marko said, “We are in talks [with] Ricciardo. But that’s primarily the function of a reserve driver, simulator driver and various promotional appearances, without us making a fixed commitment regarding a [racing cockpit].” [Translated using Google]

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Mercedes too wanted to rope in the experienced driver for the role. However, the promotion to a regular driver’s seat in the near future is not likely. George Russell is the man the Brackley-based team is banking on to take the team forward in the future. 37-year-old Lewis Hamilton has expressed his intentions of signing another long-term contract too.

Daniel Ricciardo goes into the final race of the season with a huge penalty

Daniel Ricciardo ruined Haas’ hopes of getting their best finish of the season after he took out Kevin Magnussen in the first lap of the Brazilian GP. The Dane took the pole position in the qualifying on Friday. He started the race on Sunday in P8 after an impressive run in the sprint race.

The FIA stewards duly noted the incident and delivered the verdict post-race. The stewards found Ricciardo was “wholly to blame” for the collision. Ricciardo will carry a 3-place grid penalty at the Abu Dhabi GP.

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Could the penalty ruin the Honey Badger’s farewell race for McLaren? Or will he rise out of the situation with flying colors as he did in Mexico?