Imagine Daniel Ricciardo racing in NASCAR. What a massive loss that would be for Formula 1 and what a charismatic gain for the Stock Car Racing community. Alongside his passion for the NFL, thanks to his buddy Josh Allen, the Aussie is also a big fan and admirer of NASCAR. Just a couple of years ago, he took Dale Earnhardt Sr‘s legendary 1984 Wrangler Chevrolet Monte Carlo championship-winning car for a spin at COTA. And after a miserable stint in F1 with McLaren that left him on the sidelines, Ricciardo could have easily switched to NASCAR if it was not for Christian Horner.

The details of this story take shape in the second episode, “Fall from Grace,” in Season 6 of ‘Drive To Survive’ which was released on Netflix yesterday. While there is a considerable lack of coverage of the dominance of Max Verstappen and Red Bull in the 2023 season, the return of Daniel Ricciardo to the F1 grid got enough attention in the series. The episode shed light on his conversations with Christian Horner about potential opportunities in NASCAR and his eventual decision to continue in Formula 1.

Christian Horner rescued Daniel Ricciardo from quitting F1

The episode shows quite a bit of the Honey Badger’s journey in the past few years. From his departure from Red Bull to his stint with Renault (now Alpine) and eventual return. All of it was explored in detail, providing insights into his mindset and career trajectory.

One particular segment from the episode was quite interesting, showcasing Christian Horner’s intervention to prevent Daniel Ricciardo from pursuing a career in NASCAR shortly before his return to Formula 1. There was a candid conversation between Horner and Ricciardo about the Aussie’s role at Red Bull Racing. As the episode unfolds, Ricciardo reveals his interest in NASCAR, hinting at a potential career shift.

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Horner acknowledges to him that “They’re desperate to get you in a NASCAR.” However, despite NASCAR’s immense popularity in the States, the 34-year-old expresses his desire to continue competing in Formula 1. “I just don’t want to because I honestly don’t feel done yet. I don’t want to start deviating,” Daniel told the Red Bull team boss. The above exchange takes place at the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, where Ricciardo also confirms to Horner that he was not in conversation with any other team for his return to the grid.

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After coming back to racing mid-season in 2023 with AlphaTauri (now Visa Cash App RB), Ricciardo now has a full-time drive for the rebranded Red Bull sisters team for 2024.

Can Ricciardo make a comeback to Red Bull?

Having found his passion for Formula 1 racing once again after a miserable stint with McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo has set his eyes on returning to the main Red Bul team to partner Max Verstappen. And with Sergio Perez in the last year of his contract, the Aussie might just be the perfect replacement for him.

As of now, Horner has made it clear that Checo is in the main team purely on merit. However, he also made it clear that the seat is Checo’s to lose in 2025. If Ricciardo looks anything like his prime self this season, as he was back in 2018, Red Bull might not even wait a whole year to give Ricciardo a shot at the triple world champion.

Do you think Ricciardo will come back full circle in his F1 career and end up in Red Bull? Share your insights in the comments down below.