Daniel Ricciardo has admitted that his decision to step away from an F1 race drive for 2023 is a gamble that could mark the end of his career.
Having agreed to the early termination of his contract with McLaren, there were racing opportunities available to the eight-time grand prix winner.
However, he’s opted to take a sabbatical, and instead is looking for a Reserve Driver role for next season.
Ricciardo hopes taking the gamble will reignite his fire for F1 and prompt a season like he enjoyed with Renault in 2020.
“It’s, I feel, a bit of a risk on both sides,” he confessed of his decision.
“If I was to be back on the grid in ’24, this has the biggest upside in terms of, I know I’ll be a better version of myself.
“I think the risk is, jumping into a seat next year and for whatever reason… it’s shown here at my time at McLaren, nothing is guaranteed in terms of performance.
“So if it was, for whatever reason, to be a relatively unsuccessful campaign, then I think I would, personally, probably be done with the sport.
“So that risk seems way bigger than the risk of sitting out a year.”
Ricciardo has claimed that he hasn’t fallen out of love with Formula 1, though there is no doubt the last two years have weighed on the 33-year-old.
It’s also dented his once stellar reputation, though in Mexico last time out he showed the potential he still possesses.
“People might say, ‘Well, if you’re interested in ’24, why aren’t you interested in next year?’,” he explained.
“But I know the way I’ll feel after having some time off, and watching the races from the TV, or somewhere in the paddock.
“It’ll give me all the hunger back. I have the hunger still, but I want it to be overflowing.
“And I just know that some time off will do that because I get it in a summer break, and that’s only two or three weeks off.
“I really felt it in COVID, when we had three months or something off – and I felt that was probably my best season since maybe 2016.
“So I know what a bit of absence does for me.
“And I appreciate every driver’s different and they feel how they feel, but I know taking the right time off next year will make me very hungry to be back on the grid in ’24.
“That’s why I say I do want to be back in’24, but there’s no guarantees. I can’t sign a contract today to guarantee me a seat in ’24, no-one will do that, it’s not possible.
“I’ll just try to do all I can next year to show that I still have the desire and obviously the skill to do it.”
One of the challenges facing Ricciardo is the prospect of a fairly static driver market.
Beyond the seats that were available to him this year, only Mercedes has a potential opening with Lewis Hamilton out of contract at the end of 2023.
The seven-time world champion has made it clear that he intends to continue.
The odds the gamble Ricciardo is taking on his F1 future is therefore significant, as is the potential for next weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to be his last in F1.
“I’m certainly aware of that and I’m also at peace if that is the case,” he admitted.
‘I don’t want this to be my last two races in F1, but if it is then I accept that could be an outcome.
“I’m at peace with that. I’m then betting on myself that doing what I’m doing will prepare me for the best version of myself if I do get the opportunity.
“I think it’s one where, if I get the opportunity, I don’t want to be Daniel operating, whatever, 95 percent – I want to just be fully charged.”
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