Daniel Ricciardo: "A race like Le Mans could be interesting"
While Daniel Ricciardo has repeatedly stated his desire to distance himself from the Formula 1 championship after a troubled season with McLaren, he has no plans to compete in any other championship, even if he considers the Le Mans race to be"interesting".
Arriving at McLaren in 2021, Daniel Ricciardo struggled and failed to stand out against his teammate Lando Norris. In the midst of the 2022 season, the Australian driver learned that he would be replaced by Oscar Piastri in 2023, without any other opportunities within teams. Contacted by Haas, the driver ultimately admitted to having no desire to compete in 2023, as he was suffering from “burnout”. Relieved to not have been contacted by any major team, he will be able to take a step back next year and recharge before 2024.
Reserve driver at Red Bull in 2023.
The Australian pilot, however, is not completely leaving the world of Formula 1 as he will be a tester and reserve driver for Red Bull next year. He will replace Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez in 2023 in case of health issues or any other reason that prevents them from lining up on the grid, although he will not travel to all Grand Prix races.
Towards another championship?
Daniel Ricciardo, however, stated that he is not considering competing in any other championship. He does not wish to switch to IndyCar, for example, simply because it involves racing on ovals. When asked by Auto Motor und Sport about a possible participation in the World Endurance Championship, he replied:
« A race like Le Mans could be interesting. But not the whole series. It would be the same life as now, just with different cars.
»
If the 24 Hours of Le Mans take place on a weekend where no Formula 1 Grand Prix is scheduled, winning this circuit at least once is often the dream of every driver, just like the Indy 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix, jewels of the crown of motorsport.
