Ricciardo discusses plans for 2023 after difficult McLaren split

[{"selector":"#anim-3d4c5d9c-a56b-4f60-be8c-182cda943409","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-14113d5d-fa76-4672-88b9-43fd2cc1d4f0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Formula 1

[{"selector":"#anim-257f978b-2554-4cbf-9b41-b21119002320","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cd543e30-d4a2-4250-b9a5-804b62f42806","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c96ffd8-0d57-4f59-a396-8727fc25cade","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.87301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f5343668-5d45-4a69-98e1-fa663706b968","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ebcf5934-440d-46ee-ad9e-a2a4853c19a2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.76924%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Daniel Ricciardo hasn’t lost his love of Formula 1 following his recent sacking from McLaren. Video: Instagram/ @McLaren

[{"selector":"#anim-bd103487-4ebb-4fa5-90f4-750258c02eb6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a077086c-415b-4ae3-91f0-16df47f4eab4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6e87e528-29ba-405f-bf1a-0929dcce3bff","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.71925%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-528d6ac7-b152-4f7c-b25c-08d6b91e20d3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(24.163178315768143%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] The split, effective after this season, generated headlines around the world, and cast doubt over his career beyond 2022.

"I’d never been in that situation before from a contractual point of view, where it’s obviously been cut short. You have to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best."

[{"selector":"#anim-91783f77-7ab4-4864-8c31-0c99919fc618 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f78bc178-cd7f-4647-93cd-50a40ce7252f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":2500,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84e4b6b1-831d-4159-961a-3b08d2c1fee6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":3000,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4c02a451-3cb1-4166-bdbd-0b6a65b73a99","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":3000,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b8ac423-0268-41a2-bb16-4f566a4ac217","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-130.91603%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":3000,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fd3b41fd-713e-4894-a375-fa0edd647c58","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":3000,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-19dae138-c989-4144-abd3-c419610f0f58","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-1160.00214%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":3000,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a031744c-9aba-4370-811e-5b9dccad6cca","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e5e41a69-3302-437a-af87-9c7cb1820446","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.76924%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Daniel Ricciardo Video: Instagram/ @McLaren

[{"selector":"#anim-5792edf3-d417-44b8-8187-f77d43a0a87d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-35.3461536823189%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2d2277f-2f7f-46ab-b6ae-614d8b74f4d3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4aef651d-e6e3-4053-b0b8-61828c556616","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e209e960-1a19-442b-bacd-e4f523ae1d5f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.37705%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The 2022 campaign with McLaren clearly hasn’t gone to plan but Ricciardo is now focused on just doing what he loves: driving.

"[It made] the act of driving a little sweeter. So even though [Belgium] wasn’t a competitive weekend, I did enjoy the driving and just kind of locking myself in the car and getting on with it."

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[{"selector":"#anim-cc6bcc37-6a34-4cac-830d-b8ce04bb4f25 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a20d88e6-bdce-4460-8ec6-8f9494333e1d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bea2f336-408f-46f9-8e6d-c74009505b6c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f185572b-a5c9-4b41-92f6-3d82b6585526","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bb9b1f78-add8-4e4e-957e-bb6ae98ef0c7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-82bae090-d80d-4066-974e-218c500af871","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.76924%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The termination of Ricciardo’s contract seems harsh, and while teammate Lando Norris offered little sympathy, other drivers had privately spoken to the Aussie. Video: Instagram/ @McLaren

"I did have some private messages from some drivers. Checo [Sergio Perez] was one of them. He knows what it’s like to be kind of hanging on to F1."

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[{"selector":"#anim-2a518441-76a6-4fa9-802b-0b8fb0c2e177 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-972b54ec-c445-4bdc-a069-aa099b88f360","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-03ce42ee-b874-43fe-aef7-9ba3f5ad3b33","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a09d0691-a768-4938-a6e2-944cb4721c50","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9fcf0340-7e4f-4bef-b5f6-0ff7ec1c2e41","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d693d77b-84c1-4860-8164-b1c3793384f9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.76924%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The prospect of Ricciardo returning to the grid with a new team is a tantalising one that the veteran driver is not giving up on. Video: Instagram/ @McLaren

"I wouldn’t give up on F1. If it means I’m not on the grid next year, I will still certainly try to find a way to be on there in 2024.That fire in my gut is still there. It hasn’t gone away."

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Producer: Stefan Centofanti

[{"selector":"#anim-75e79a69-323b-474e-8f38-f3b404a3484c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-725191c4-0096-4d00-9823-c9a986568388","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc3ea6d0-facb-44df-8db8-bb4f39d7e454","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The thought behind sport Learn more