Daniel Ricciardo is searching for his next career move, preferably in F1. But one arena where the Aussie won't be seen is IndyCar.
Ricciardo and McLaren will part ways at the end of the current season, a year earlier than expected due to his performances falling short of both team and driver's expectations.
For now, Ricciardo is considering a year on the sidelines and a possible return to the grid in 2024. But in the interim, a reserve role with a top team in 2023 would keep the 33-year-old in close contact with F1.
Although there is speculation in Austin this weekend that Ricciardo could hook up with his former Red Bull team as its super-sub for 2022, Ricciardo said there were no agreements in place with anyone regarding a reserve role.
"For now, everything is just rumours," he said on Saturday at COTA. "Am I talking? Yes. But there’s no pen on paper or anything like that yet.
"So I won’t completely disconnect from the sport, but obviously nothing’s guaranteed for ’24. Like, I don’t have a seat that I can say I’m definitely going to be driving.
"But I’ll still be around and trying to put work in to be back."
As a big fan of the American way of life, Ricciardo would blend in seamlessly with IndyCar or even NASCAR, a view shared by his former F1 colleague Romain Grosjean who tweeted that the Honey Badger was "made for IndyCar".
. @danielricciardo is made for @IndyCar
💯🇺🇸 https://t.co/HjY0wNtNvV— Romain Grosjean (@RGrosjean) October 20, 2022
But Ricciardo pushed back tooth and nail on that idea.
"F**k that. Ovals scare me," he quipped when pressed on the prospect of heading west.
"My Formula 1 career-slash-ambition is not over, so that’s really like first and foremost. I don’t want to deviate, I would say primarily for that reason. But also ovals, nah.
"Ten years ago, I would have said yes. I’m OK to admit that I’m not OK with ovals."
Even a limited 'road courses only' programme wouldn't appeal to the eight-time Grand Prix winner, at least for now.
"They look fun, but I think because I’m just not out of F1, I haven’t really entertained it," said Ricciardo.
"The romanticising part of it, like America and all that, would be fun. But yeah. It’s more of a fantasy."
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