F1 2023: Daniel Ricciardo reveals the criteria for whichever team he joins in 2024

Daniel Ricciardo has outlined the criteria for his future F1 team. The Aussie insists he is not being arrogant with how picky he is being.

Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Red Bull Racing prepares to drive in the garage

Daniel Ricciardo knows better than anyone that contracts in Formula One mean nothing so the slim chances of any drives becoming available for him in 2024 is nothing to worry about.

The Aussie, now back with Red Bull as a reserve driver after being unceremoniously sacked by McLaren last year, remains confident he will return to the grid next season, insisting he has moved on from the lows he felt under Zak Brown.

Lewis Hamilton, Nico Hulkenberg, Yuki Tsunoda, Logan Sargeant and Zhou Guanyu are yet to confirm their plans beyond 2023, but history dictates that the cut throat nature of F1 means any contract can be terminated any time – for the right price.

Ricciardo was reportedly paid $32.9 million in severance by McLaren when they replaced him with compatriot Oscar Pastri – a wise move some might say given the team’s disastrous start to 2023.

Undeterred by recent events, Ricciardo remains confident he will drive with a top team.

“It doesn’t scare me (a lack of available seats). It’s always been like that,” Ricciardo told Top Gear.

Daniel Ricciardo is far happier back with Red Bull

“I knew this was going to be a risk obviously removing myself from a seat. But I think it’s clear what I don’t want. I don’t want [just] any seat next year… I don’t want to just start from zero, and kind of build my [F1] career from scratch.

“It’s not coming from an arrogant place. But I’m just past that. I don’t think that’s going to stimulate me or give me that second wind I’m looking for.

“So it makes the top seats even scarcer. But that’s where I know I will be able to perform at my best and thrive.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said Ricciardo had picked up a number of bad habits during his time at McLaren which suggest he was over compensating for a poor car.

Under weight and entirely disillusioned, the team has rallied around Ricciardo to help build him back up.

“I felt like everyone was excited for me to come back and it was kind of like open arms,” he said.

“I didn’t expect everyone that I used to work with to be as kind of high [about it] as I am. I think it’s cool. I’ve moved on, I’ve matured. I’ve lived and learned. And I’ve kind of grown through it all.

“The first day back at Red Bull in the simulator was the most fun I’ve ever had driving a simulator. Which is crazy, especially because at this point in my career that’s normally the boring work.

“But Simon [Rennie], my engineer at the time at Red Bull, he’s running the sim now. So it was like we were back in the routine of 2018 and mate, I loved it. It took me a few laps to get going and, once I did, it all felt familiar again.

“I would honestly say in a day my confidence went from being probably pretty low to back at the levels I remember being at.”

Fans want to know where Ricciardo might be next year

Formula One returns with a sprint race in Baku this weekend after a month-long hiatus.

Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez top the driver standings ahead of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

The race format has not gone down well with teams however with Horner blasting the decision to hold a sprint race in Azerbaijan, a track well known for accidents.

“The reality is it’s absolutely ludicrous to be doing the first sprint race of the year in a street race like Azerbaijan,” Horner said.

“But I think from a spectacle point of view, from a fan point of view, it’s probably going to be one of the most exciting sprint races of the year.

“From a cost cap perspective, all you can do is trash your car. And it costs a lot of money around there.”

Toto Wolff echoed Horner’s sentiments.

“Two qualifying sessions per se is not something that’s bad,” he said.

“In qualifying, you have less opportunity to put the car in the wall, but with two races, which we always knew, obviously there is more at risk.

“And back-to-back with Miami (staged the following weekend), that can be a problem.”

Originally published as F1 2023: Daniel Ricciardo reveals the criteria for whichever team he joins in 2024