Aussie Daniel Ricciardo suggests it's better to sit out F1 in 2023 than drive for Haas

McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo is without a Formula 1 drive for next season and has poured water over rumours he was considering taking up a position as a reserve driver.

The Australian's star has fallen massively in F1 since he left Red Bull at the end of 2018 to join what would become Alpine Racing.

After an unsuccessful spell with the French team, he switched to McLaren in 2021, where things went a little better, but he was clearly second best behind younger and less experienced teammate Lando Norris.

With another young driver, an Australian, Oscar Piastri arriving to take his seat in 2023, Ricciardo is left without a drive and not with many options for next season.

While he admitted that he is still negotiating with a couple of teams, he says he is nowhere near coming to an agreement on anything and that all the media hype is just rumours for now.

"For now, everything is just rumours," he says. "Am I talking? Yes. But there's no pen on paper or anything like that yet.

"I won't completely disconnect from the sport, but obviously, nothing's guaranteed for '24. Like, I don't have a seat that I can say I'm definitely going to be driving. But I'll still be around and trying to put work in to be back."

One of the only teams with a seat available for next season is Haas, but Ricciardo strongly suggested that was not an option he was considering.

"With what's currently available, I feel like I'm better off sticking to the plan I have and aiming for something else."

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