(Motorsport) Australian Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo has confirmed that he will return to Red Bull Racing for the 2023 season in a development role, claiming that returning “home” in this role will make him happier than taking a full-time seat further down the grid as he needs a “break” from Formula 1. Ricciardo saw his McLaren deal ended prematurely after being consistently outperformed by Lando Norris but the eight time race winner will now be involved in Formula 1 in some capacity after returning to Red Bull as the third driver. His duties will involve show runs, marketing exploits as well as simulator runs for certain races. 

It’s undoubtedly a surprising move for one of the biggest names in the sport, especially considering that despite the lack of seats in Formula 1, the 33 year old could have landed a seat further down the grid. However, speaking after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Australian said “I knew that I wanted some time off next year from a race seat and just from competition. It's obviously been pretty tiring the last couple of years with the struggles, so it was pretty clear to me shortly after the summer break that that was what I wanted, and what was going to be best for me. So then it was, 'ok, what's the next best thing?'. And the more I thought about it, to obviously be involved to some degree with a top team, that was obviously the preference. It'll either fuel the fire and make me hungry and more motivated than ever, or it will be like, 'oh, this is the right thing for you'. In that case… then I must be really happy." 

Ricciardo was also linked with a move to Mercedes although the Silver Arrows team principal Toto Wolff said he understands why the Australian wants to go “home” to a team where he won seven of his eight races. Wolff said “There were discussions. He's a super guy. It's a shame he isn't in the cockpit, because Daniel Ricciardo belongs in a race car. Nobody understands why the years at McLaren didn't work out like all the previous years did. I think basically we just needed time to figure out what we wanted to do and Red Bull was his home for a long time, he knows the people there and hopefully he has a good deal there." 

Ricciardo said his move to Red Bull was “highly likely” and said “If it is [confirmed], I am not going to be at 24 races as I might as well still be on the grid. I made it clear I still need some time off for myself and to get away a little bit but I will be around to some extent and try to stay involved." He also spoke about his time with Mclaren by saying “There were certainly some races where I felt more comfortable. The difficulty, the struggle was that that encouraged me and then all of a sudden, a week later, we were back where we were. The inconsistency, the unknown, was what made it so tricky but I am happy to have had a few nice [races] since the summer break. 

"I have learned perspective. It is so easy to get caught up in competition. We devote so much time to it and when it is not going well you can so easily get angry, frustrated and bitter. Get so many negative emotions towards something you truly love. Perspective allowed me to maintain happiness and appreciation. You have your days but it is a privilege to do what we love – it is such a fun sport. The surroundings, the travel, all the people we meet. Whatever you do in life, gratitude helps you move forward a lot."

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