Daniel Ricciardo mentioned he’s speaking to System One groups a few reserve position subsequent 12 months and that taking a break from racing may show to be “a blessing in disguise.”

The Australian completed seventh for McLaren in Sunday’s Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix and was voted Driver of the Day by followers after offering a lot of the leisure with a sequence of overtakes following a 10-seconds penalty.

The 33-year-old is ready to go away McLaren on the finish of the 12 months with nothing lined up thus far and no real interest in the one seat remaining at Haas.

“I can confidently say I will not be on the grid, behind a wheel [in 2023],” Ricciardo mentioned to Sky Sports activities.

“However I nonetheless wish to be within the sport, I wish to be working with a group nonetheless with the ambition to be again on the grid in ’24.

“I really feel like a little bit of time away from a race seat will truly do me good, after which attempt to rebuild on one thing for ’24.”

The winner of eight profession races, all however one with Purple Bull, Ricciardo has struggled to match teammate Lando Norris this 12 months with Sunday a uncommon event the place he beat the Briton, who completed ninth.

Ricciardo mentioned the final two years had been “fairly laborious” and stepping away would supply a recent perspective.

“The best way the seasons are it is fairly relentless, you do not actually get an opportunity to rebuild,” he mentioned.

“Everybody’s totally different however I actually consider that will probably be, to illustrate, in a method a blessing in disguise for me … by doing much less, I will obtain extra.”

Ricciardo has been linked to order roles with Purple Bull and Mercedes, whose boss Toto Wolff would welcome him within the position vacated by AlphaTauri-bound Dutchman Nyck de Vries.

“We very very like him, he is an excellent character however we’re not ready but to determine who’s going to do reserve and third driver,” the Austrian mentioned.

Wolff was just lately photographed carrying a sweatshirt from Ricciardo’s merchandise assortment, additional fuelling hypothesis.

“It is good things, easy as that,” Ricciardo mentioned. “I gave [Mercedes driver] George [Russell] a sweater and Toto messaged saying he actually preferred it … so, freebies.”

Russell mentioned he wish to see Ricciardo be a part of him and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton however “it is as much as Daniel to see what he desires to do together with his future.”