Ricciardo open to U-turn to save F1 career

Daniel Ricciardo has revealed he would accept a drive at AlphaTauri in order to salvage hope of a return to Red Bull and his F1 career.

The Australian left the Milton Keynes-based team at the end of 2018 and moved to Renault, where he secured only three podiums in two years.

A shock move to McLaren in the midst of that project proved a disappointment, despite becoming the only winner for the Woking-based outfit since Jenson Button in 2012. The slump in performance saw him lose his seat at the end of last season to be replaced by fellow Australian Oscar Piastri.

Ricciardo is currently Red Bull's third driver having turned down the chance of a drive further down the grid.

But with Nyck de Vries underperforming for AlphaTauri so far this season and facing an uncertain future, there is a chance Ricciardo could perform a U-turn.

“I’m remaining open-minded," he told Crash.net.

"If it’s like ‘This is you and you are signing a three-year deal and that’s the only place you are going to be’, then no, that’s maybe not the deal I would look for.

“But if there’s the possibility to obviously be here [Red Bull], the truth is this is where I want to be. I’m not going to weave my way around it."

Ricciardo wants to be back on the grid in 2024

"I’d love to get back on the grid next year," added Ricciardo.

"If things don't turn out the way I’d like and I’m on the sidelines again next year... it’s not my Plan A but I wouldn’t freak out."

Nico Hulkenberg spent three years out of a full-time F1 drive - with the occasional reserve appearance with Aston Martin - before making his comeback with Haas this year.

Ricciardo used the German as an example to remain positive, explaining: “I look at Hulkenberg, who's been on the sidelines a few years - obviously done the odd race here and there - but he’s been pretty awesome this year. So I’m not concerned that I’ll ‘lose it’.

“Obviously, I’m not getting younger though, so I don’t want to miss too much. Because I also don’t want to be [Fernando] Alonso and in my forties doing it."