For Daniel Ricciardo, the McLaren chapter ends after two years after the 2022 Formula 1 season. So far, so well known. After the separation of the traditional racing team from the Australian became known, the rumor mill simmered more and more hotly about how Ricciardo could continue in Formula 1. Now even Mercedes is being put forward as a possible future employer.
Voices are increasing on social networks that see the Honey Badger at the Constructors’ World Champion of the last eight years from the coming season. Among other things, the blog “Fastest pit stop” have learned that it is actually a train of thought at Mercedes to sign Ricciardo from the coming season.
In this case, the 33-year-old could join the German-British team as a test or reserve driver, which slipped down to third place in the team classification this year with the driver duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
Ricciardo is currently only 13th in the drivers’ standings in Formula 1
Via its Twitter channel, the blog reported that Mercedes is looking to rebuild its reserve team for 2023 and that eight-time Grand Prix winner Ricciardo could play a serious role. Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries are currently still under contract with Mercedes as reserve and test drivers.
The Australian, on the other hand, has been driving in the premier class of motorsport without interruption since 2011 and has contested over 220 Grands Prix since then. In 2014 and 2016, he achieved his best results in Formula 1 by finishing third in the Drivers’ World Championship.
It is also said that the driver’s side should have approached the Mercedes team and had initial talks to somehow accommodate Ricciardo in Formula 1 in the coming season.
After the announced departure from McLaren at the end of the year, the future of the driver, who was recently in poor shape, has so far remained open. In the current season, Ricciardo is only 13th in the drivers’ standings with just 19 championship points – team-mate Lando Norris has 76 points in comparison.