Daniel Ricciardo admits he won’t be on the F1 grid next year after Pierre Gasly and Nyck de Vries moves confirmed

Daniel Ricciardo appears to have conceded that he won’t be a Formula 1 driver in 2023 but has vowed to return to the grid in 2024.

Last Saturday, ahead of qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix, it was confirmed that Pierre Gasly would be moving from AlphaTauri to Alpine, with Formula E champion and Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries taking his place at the Red Bull sister team.

‘Driving for a team that has French roots is something very special,’ Gasly said.

‘I know the strengths of Alpine having raced against them over the past couple of years and, clearly, their progress and ambition is very impressive.’

‘After Formula 2, I took a slightly different path with motorsport, but F1 has always been my dream and I’m grateful to be able to fulfil it,’ added De Vries, who made his long-overdue F1 debut in September with Williams as a last-minute replacement for the unwell Alex Albon.

‘I’ve had a lot of chances to experience the 2022 car this year and I think that has put me in a great position for the upcoming season, I hope this has helped to prepare me for what is to come.’

As a result, there are now just two vacant seats left on the 2023 grid, at Haas and Williams, and with Ricciardo not in the frame for either of them, the eight-time race winner believes he has run out of options.

The Australian said: ‘To be honest, the Gasly news I was aware of. I knew they were talking for a while and I knew they were very interested in Pierre, so I would say I was prepared for that and no surprise.

‘We were trying to navigate our way round that and figure out what was next, but I think the reality now is I won’t be on the grid in ’23.’

Ricciardo was contracted with McLaren until the end of 2023, but after consistent poor performances the