Singapore: The last time Daniel Ricciardo was in Singapore he started from the back of the grid after a technical breach in qualifying.
Three years later, he has returned weighing up a future in which he could find himself towards the rear of the field more often.
Daniel Ricciardo has had a lot on his mind ahead of the Singapore grand prix.Credit:Getty Images
The Australian driver has been on the podium four times in Singapore, which has reclaimed its night street race after two pandemic-induced cancellations, and which could be the setting for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to clinch a second straight world championship this weekend.
But in the closing stages of a deflating season in which his contract with McLaren has been cut short, making him a free agent, the 33-year-old is looking ahead as much as to Sunday’s 61 laps around the distinctive Marina Bay Street Circuit.
What next year holds remains unclear. There has been speculation he could take a sabbatical and even reports of an offer to try his talents in NASCAR.
After a fortnight back on the family farm in Australia “riding bikes and being a bit of a kid again”, though, Ricciardo has turned up in south-east Asia maintaining that it is in Formula 1 that he wants to remain.
With only three seats left vacant for next season, options are limited and naturally involve a demotion in prestige and drop in expectations.
If he were to take up one of them, Australia would be in the rare position of having two drivers in F1 at once, with 21-year-old Oscar Piastri to make his debut in 2023 after being recruited by McLaren to replace Ricciardo.
The eight-time grand prix winner made clear before Sunday’s race, however, that he does not simply want to be making up the numbers.
“I don’t want to just race to race, I want to race with belief and understanding that I will be back on the podium,” he said.
Ricciardo in action in his McLaren during practice on Friday night.Credit:Getty Images
“Of course, plan A would be to be on the grid, but nothing’s changed. Let’s say I don’t want to just jump at the first seat available. I know the landscape probably changes as well end of next year with contracts [ending] and whatever.
“My team is talking to pretty much everyone, and they are having conversations. So we are just trying to put it all together and figure out what makes the most sense.”
With an eye on what more competitive seats could become available in 2024, he also conceded that spending a season as a back-up driver at a team such as Mercedes was the other realistic alternative.
As if confirmation was needed of Ricciardo’s secondary status at McLaren now that he is on the way out, he is racing in Singapore without updates that have been made to the car of teammate Lando Norris.
The early signs weren’t great for him here, as he wound up 18th of 20 in Friday night’s second practice session.
Despite that, he will be looking to bounce back in scorching conditions here from a last-start retirement a fortnight ago at the Italian grand prix at Monza, a race he had started from the second row.
Verstappen, meanwhile, could secure his second world title with five races to go on Sunday night, although he would need to win and for the remaining challengers Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc to finish down the standings.
There was controversy in the lead-up to the Singapore Grand Prix with reports emerging on Friday that Red Bull were one of two teams that had exceeded the sport’s budget cap.
Breaches of the cap, which limits teams’ spending, can result in fines, retrospective points deductions and in suspension and even expulsion in serious cases.
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff told Sky Sports that fierce rivals Red Bull had been investigated for months for gaining an unfair advantage.
But as governing body FIA said it was still finalising its analysis of teams’ financial data, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner insisted they had nothing to fear.
“Our submission was below the cap,” Horner told the broadcaster.“It’s down to the FIA to follow the process. We’re confident in our submission.”
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