Ricciardo insists lack of F1 2024 seats “doesn’t scare me” 

The 33-year-old Australian and eight-time grand prix winner is spending this season on the sidelines as Red Bull’s reserve driver after having his McLaren contract terminated a year early at the end of 2022. 

• F1 2024 driver line-up: The contract situation of every driver

Ricciardo has firmly maintained that his goal is secure a competitive full-time seat for 2024, but open seats are scarce. 

Unless the out-of-contract Lewis Hamilton decided to quit or Red Bull unexpectedly parted ways with Sergio Perez, there is no room at F1’s leading three teams next season. 

Asked if he is concerned about the lack of seats in an interview with Top Gear, Ricciardo replied: “It doesn’t scare me. It’s always been like that. And I knew this was going to be a risk obviously removing myself from a seat. 

“But I think it’s clear what I don’t want. I don’t want [just] any seat next year, as much as I think I want to be racing again. I don’t want to just start from zero, and kind of build my [F1] career from scratch. 

“It’s not coming from an arrogant place. But I’m just past that. I don’t think that’s going to stimulate me or give me that second wind I’m looking for. So it makes the top seats even scarcer. 

“But that’s where I know I will be able to perform at my best and thrive. That’s the sort of stuff I’m keeping my eyes on.” 

Ricciardo admitted he was surprised how much he enjoyed returning to F1 simulator duties this year after being reunited with his former Red Bull race engineer Simon Rennie. 

“The first day back at Red Bull in the simulator was the most fun I’ve ever had driving a simulator, which is crazy, especially because at this point in my career that’s normally the boring work,” he explained. 

“But Simon my engineer at the time at Red Bull, he’s running the sim now. So it was like we were back in the routine of 2018 and mate, I loved it. 

“It took me a few laps to get going and once I did it all felt familiar again. I would honestly say in a day my confidence went from being probably pretty low to back at the levels I remember being at.

“And I think just having that time off [also] just gave me a chance to, in a way, forget a little bit of the last two years. Just go in there with a fresh mind.”