Daniel Ricciardo not being part of the F1 grid is one of the most noticeable misses in the sport. After his two-year nightmare spell at McLaren, the honey badger was left without a seat for the 2023 season. Initially, his deal at McLaren was supposed to last for three years but was cut short.
According to multiple reports, there were several teams who were interested in landing Ricciardo. Having an eight-time Grand Prix winner in a team is always an asset, so Alpine and Haas stepped up to try and sign him.
In the end, however, Alpine decided to go for Pierre Gasly, and Ricciardo shot down Haas’ contract offer. Affording Ricciardo was always going to be difficult, especially for Haas. In spite of that, they were negotiating at the region of $10 million in salary, something team principal Guenther Steiner considered very expensive.
In a recent interview, Ricciardo explained his decision behind not accepting a big offer from a team like Haas. He also gave a hint about his F1 future and what he is looking for once he does make a return.
Daniel Ricciardo does not want to be in F1 “at any cost”
Ricciardo is one of the most experienced drivers in F1. His best stint in F1 was with Red Bull, with whom he won seven races, so it’s evident that he knows what it takes to drive for a top team. After struggling with McLaren for two years, Ricciardo insists he doesn’t want to struggle anymore.
Ricciardo was in the paddock for the 2023 Australian GP, fulfilling his duties as Red Bull’s third driver. There, he told the media that he is glad to be away from the spotlight and reflect on life. Talking about a potential return to the grid, the 33-year-old was adamant that he won’t be doing so at any cost.
“I don’t want to go back to ground zero,” he said. “I don’t want to just be on the grid to be on the grid and struggle in 18th place. So I don’t want to be on the grid at any cost.”
Since Haas is a team that is towards the back of the grid more often than not, Ricciardo’s decision to not go to the American outfit for the $10 million salary is understandable as per this explanation.
Ricciardo eyeing only top teams
Ricciardo went on to say that he is at a stage in his career, where his only desire in F1 remains to win. He does want to work his way up by driving for smaller teams, because he has proved he can do it in the past.
The Perth-born driver acknowledges that “in terms of availability”, landing a seat at a top team will be very difficult. Despite that, Ricciardo won’t consider joining smaller teams for the sake of it.
“I know it probably makes it even a little harder to get to,” he said. “But that’s where I’m looking.”
