Daniel Ricciardo is prepared to accept the seat at AlphaTauri in 2024 as Nyck de Vries gets an ultimatum

Ricciardo took 7 race victories with Red Bull between 2014 and 2018

Nyck de Vries and Daniel Ricciardo(Credits: The Guardian)

The Australian sensation Daniel Ricciardo was always tipped from a young age to be a future world champion. However, his dream didn’t materialize. After he joined McLaren in 2021, his career seemed to go downhill. He was bought out of his contract for 2023 and failed to secure a seat on the grid. He is currently a reserve for his former team Red Bull. The Aussie has recently stated he is open to driving for their sister team, AlphaTauri, while Nyck de Vries struggles to impress.

Daniel Ricciardo, in an interview with Crash.net, stated that he is open-minded about potentially racing with AlphaTauri next year. However, he clarified that he would not be interested in a long-term deal restricting him to one team. Ricciardo expressed his preference for staying with Red Bull, as that is where he wants to be. While considering other options, he primarily desires to continue racing with Red Bull if the opportunity allows.

“I’m remaining open-minded. If it’s like ‘this is you and you are signing a three-year deal, and that’s the only place you are going to be’, then no, that’s maybe not the deal I would look for. But if there’s the possibility to obviously be here [Red Bull]… The truth is this is where I want to be. I’m not going to weave my way around it,” said Daniel Ricciardo.

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Nyck de Vries has reportedly been given an ultimatum by Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko. He has been unable to produce anything substantial in his time with AlphaTauri. Should the Dutchman be ousted, Ricciardo could well be offered the seat.

Daniel Ricciardo aims to be back behind the wheel as soon as possible

Daniel Ricciardo (Credits: Irish Mirror)

The 34-year-old shared that while being on the sidelines next year is not his preferred outcome, he wouldn’t panic if it were to happen. He mentioned the example of Nico Hülkenberg, who has spent some time off the grid but has still performed impressively when given the opportunity. Ricciardo is confident he wouldn’t lose his skills despite being out of regular racing.

However, Ricciardo acknowledged that he doesn’t want to miss too much time as he is conscious of not wanting to continue racing into his forties like Fernando Alonso. He admires Alonso’s ability to perform at a high level at an older age but recognizes that he wants a balance. If a team were to offer Ricciardo the chance to sit out next year but guarantee him a seat for the following year, he would be open to that option.

?️ | ?? Daniel Ricciardo would accept AlphaTauri seat for 2024 if it “creates a path” back to Red Bull:

“If that creates a path to get back here [Red Bull] then it’s something I would look at.

Because ultimately this is the place where I want to get back to.” pic.twitter.com/QnHzuJQALg
— RBR News ???? (@redbulletin) July 8, 2023

Nevertheless, his primary desire is racing, and he would love to compete in the upcoming seasons. Ricciardo disclosed that he has not engaged in discussions or received definite offers from other teams. He expressed his willingness to remain open-minded and flexible in considering his options. While he values his current affiliation with the team, he is also aware that circumstances can change in Formula 1.

Ricciardo conveyed that being part of the Red Bull family again feels like the perfect choice for him. Ideally, he hopes an opportunity arises within the Red Bull family, eliminating his need to explore options elsewhere. With all the speculation surrounding Nyck de Vries, the Aussie may get a run in 2023.