Daniel Ricciardo returns to Red Bull as the team’s third driver for the 2023 Formula 1 season

Daniel Ricciardo was left without a seat for 2023 after having his contract with McLaren end a year early; the Australian spent five seasons with Red Bull from 2014-2018 watch the Abu Dhabi GP all weekend live on Sky Sports F1 – with the race at 1pm on Sunday

Daniel Ricciardo will return to Red Bull as the team’s third driver for the 2023 Formula 1 season, although Christian Horner insists Sergio Perez’s job is safe as Max Verstappen’s team-mate.

It is expected that Ricciardo will be a development driver, with Liam Lawson the official reserve.

The 33-year-old Australian was left without a place on the grid for next season after having his contract with McLaren terminated a year early, following two largely disappointing campaigns with the British team.

Ricciardo was linked with several places at the back of the grid, but indicated he would prefer to join a top team as a reserve driver with a view to returning in a more competitive car in 2024.

Speculation in the paddock in recent weeks suggested Ricciardo could join Mercedes, but Red Bull now appear to have swooped in for Ricciardo, who won seven of his eight F1 races driving for the team between 2014 and 2018.

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Jenson Button believes people are forgetting how good a driver Daniel Ricciardo is and feels he should drop down to a lower-ranked team, rather than take a year out of Formula 1.

“Ricciardo will be our third driver,” said Marko, a Red Bull adviser Sky Sports in Germany.

“We have so many sponsors, we have to run shows, so obviously he’s one of the most high profile and best suited.”

Marko said in the same interview that Lawson, who drove for Red Bull in first practice at the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP, would be Red Bull’s reserve.

Ricciardo’s role could therefore be development-driven, although Red Bull have yet to confirm the move with an announcement.

On Saturday, team boss Horner said “nothing had been signed” but hinted that confirmation was coming soon.

“Daniel is a big character, it has been disappointing to see his performance this year but he is still one of the biggest names in Formula 1,” he said.

“Just with the demands on race drivers these days, just from a marketing perspective, we’re an active team and do a lot of exhibition races and events, so to have a driver with Daniel’s profile and history with the team is just an asset for us.

“It means he stays in touch with Formula 1 and we will obviously use him on the simulator as well when he takes part in events.”

However, Horner insisted that Ricciardo would not replace Perez as full-time driver with the team, even if he rediscovered his old form. Perez is under contract until 2024 at Red Bull, but his future has been subject to speculation, particularly after the team ordered a dispute with Verstappen.

“No, Daniel’s contract is very specific,” Horner said. “We have a contract with Checo [Perez] for the next two years. The partnership between Max and Checo has been phenomenal for us.”

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Following the news that Daniel Ricciardo will be leaving McLaren at the end of the season, take a look at his biggest race wins for Red Bull.

Coming into the Abu Dhabi weekend, Ricciardo, who is replaced at McLaren by fellow Australian Oscar Piastri, said “progress was made” with his 2023 move and that “hopefully you can see my good looks again next year”.

“Mentally, I’m not treating it like it’s going to be my last race ever, but it could be,” he told reporters on Thursday.

“I know nothing is guaranteed in the future so I’m going to go out and enjoy it, I’m not going to get too, let’s say, emotional about the thought of ‘oh, is it the last one or not?’

“I want to enjoy it and take it for what it is.”

Ricciardo will have a three-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race after causing a collision with Haas’ Kevin Magnussen at the previous round in Brazil on Sunday.

“I usually go better when I have penalties so I actually asked for a five-place penalty, but three will do it where you go,” he joked.

Hill: Ricciardo could end up with a starting spot at Red Bull

As news swirls of Ricciardo’s Red Bull return, Sky Sports’ Damon Hill thinks it’s a smart choice that could end up with him in a starting spot again.

“It could be quite interesting if you think about the problems they’ve obviously had between Max and Sergio,” Hill said.

“Let’s say the toys go out of the pram and something falls out there, Daniel Ricciardo can be in the best position.

“It’s his home, and he owes a lot to Red Bull so he’ll be very keen to be back in that group.

“What about the prodigal son returning?

“He can be in a good position when he comes back and has learned a lot in other places.

“It may be that you can improve having been somewhere else and then return to the place you started.

“I’m sure Sergio’s contract is watertight, and he’ll be there for a long time, but if the relationship deteriorates, sometimes it becomes unworkable, and the suspicion is that Max has quite a lot of power in that team.”