Ricciardo reveals Red Bull hunger mission

Daniel Ricciardo has revealed his personal mission for 2023 after returning to Red Bull as the team's third driver.

The Australian was confirmed as a Red Bull driver again following the F1 season finale in Abu Dhabi.

But remaining on the sidelines is not a long-term plan for the eight-time race winner who is naturally determined to secure a drive for 2024.

Explaining why he was not interested in race seats towards the back of the grid for next year, Ricciardo said: "It’s funny because people might say, ‘Well if you’re interested in ’24, why aren’t you interested in next year?’.

“But I know the way I’ll feel after having some time off and watching the races from the TV or somewhere in the paddock, it’ll give me all that hunger back.

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“I have the hunger still but I want it to be overflowing, and I know just a bit of time off will do that because I get it in a summer break and that is only two, three weeks off.

"I really felt it in Covid when we had three months off [in 2020], and I felt that was probably my best season since 2016.

“So I know what a bit of absence does for me and I appreciate every driver is different and they feel how they feel but I know that taking the right time off next year will make me very hungry to be back on the grid in ’24."

Ricciardo has made clear his hope that any return to racing is in a competitive seat, but this appears to be a difficult target to reach given both the Red Bull and Ferrari drivers are locked into deals up to or beyond the end of 2024.

Complicating the task further is Lewis Hamilton's desire to extend his relationship with Mercedes, a move that would lock down the Silver Arrows seats beyond this date.

Speaking before confirming his Red Bull role, Ricciardo acknowledged: “There are no guarantees.

"I can’t sign a contract today to guarantee me a seat in ’24. No one will do that. It’s not possible.

"But I’ll just try to do all I can next year to try to show that I still have the desire and the skill to do it.”

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