Helmut Marko has revealed that outgoing McLaren charger Daniel Ricciardo will be Red Bull's reserve driver for 2023.
The Red Bull Motorsport boss was speaking to Sky Germany in Abu Dhabi on Friday when he let the cat out of the bag, although he made clear that while both parties may have agreed to a deal, a formal contract had yet to be signed.
"Ricciardo will be our third driver," Marko said.
"We have so many sponsors, we have to do show runs, so of course he's one of the most high-profile and best-suited."
In the same interview, Marko also revealed that Red Bull junior Liam Lawson, who is expected to undertake another campaign in the FIA Formula Championship next season, will act as the Milton Keynes-based outfit reserve.
While Red Bull intends on capitalizing on Ricciardo's popularity to boost its street demos and show runs, the Aussie is obviously looking for an involvement with the race team although opportunities to get behind the wheel of RB19 will likely be few and far between.
But beggars can't be choosers, and Ricciardo will need to accept whatever Red Bull sends his way, knowing also that the eight-time Grand Prix winner – who clinched seven of his victories with Red Bull between 2014 and 2018 – would be first in line to sub, if necessary, for Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez.
Update:
Helmut Marko has backtracked on his comments made to Sky Germany about Ricciardo, insisting they were conditional.
"I said if we take him as a third driver. The 'if' was lost," he told Motorsport Magazine.
"We are talking to him but nothing has been signed yet."
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