Daniel Ricciardo says he’s uncertain if racing in one other sequence would carry him the achievement he craves that was missing with out having the ability to combat for high ends in Method 1.
Purple Bull introduced on Thursday that it has dropped Ricciardo in favor of Liam Lawson for the rest of the 2024 season, with no suggestion the Australian may very well be within the body for a spot on the F1 grid in 2025. Talking earlier than his future was formally confirmed, Ricciardo admitted he has thought-about different racing classes up to now and may very well be with the F1 door closed, though he has nothing particular in thoughts.
“IndyCar nonetheless scares me!” Ricciardo stated. “I imply, I’ve considered it as a result of I additionally considered it a few years in the past after I knew that I wasn’t going to begin the ’23 season. I don’t know. I do know I’m nonetheless a competitor. I do know I nonetheless have a variety of hearth in me. Perhaps that itch is scratched doing one thing else, I don’t know. We’ll see.
“It’s onerous. Even speaking about being within the sport [F1] and combating for even a tenth place once in a while… It’s possibly the identical with doing one other sequence, and no disrespect to different sequence — I’m a fan of NASCAR and a variety of different types of motorsport — however as a result of I’ve been there and skilled the very best of highs, will I get true achievement doing one thing else?
“No assure I’ll be superior doing one thing else. Is that truly going to scratch the itch and provides me what I need? I don’t know. I’d most likely say extra no than sure.”
Nonetheless, whereas Ricciardo will probably be weighing up his curiosity in racing in different classes now that his future has been confirmed, he says his temporary spell away from full-time F1 after leaving McLaren means he has no worry of a life exterior the game.
“Oh, exterior racing, yeah [there’s fulfilling interests]. As a result of I’ve already skilled a little bit of it, I don’t have a worry of not swiping into the paddock. I’ve liked it and it’s nice, however I’ve additionally luckily made mates with different athletes through the years which have been in an analogous place. What does sort of part two of life appear to be?
“I feel there’s lots to do, a variety of alternatives. It’s not something I’m petrified of.”