As teams sign drivers or zero in on certain objectives, the 2023 F1 driver roster is beginning to take shape. Currently, it appears that none of those seats will be filled by Daniel Ricciardo, who appears content with his lot in life. Ricciardo will find it challenging to compete in Formula One again if he is not in it the following year. Morning Brew is read by more than 3 million people; you should too! The musical chairs in Formula One are still going, but it seems more and more likely that fan favorite Daniel Ricciardo will be left without a seat when the music stops.

There are just three remaining evident gaps in the 2023 F1 driver lineup, and as things stand, Ricciardo is unlikely to fill any of them. He will likely retire from Formula One in 2023, barring any unforeseen circumstances. And if that occurs, it’s likely that we won’t see him ever again drive in the series.

Even Ricciardo sounds like he is beginning to understand his fate.

After the Italian Grand Prix, Ricciardo remarked, “I’ve realized, if I’m not on the grid next year, I’m alright with it.” “I’ve accepted that I won’t do everything, or that my “management” team won’t do everything, only to put me on the grid if it’s wrong or it doesn’t make sense,” the speaker said.

Later, Ricciardo clarified that he “want to just hop into a car for the sake of it,” not “only for the purpose of it.” He sounds close to giving up even though he hasn’t.

We haven’t given up trying to “get a seat,” stated Ricciardo. But at the moment, that’s sort of where my thoughts are.

According to Mark Hughes and Scott Mitchell-Malm of The Race and Alpine agreed to buy out the final year of his contract with AlphaTauri. That action, however, was dependent on the FIA granting American Colton Herta a Super License exemption, which Will Buxton of F1TV believes is now doubtful.

It looks that Alpine will turn to Australian F2 driver and Alpine junior driver Jack Doohan if it is unable to sign Gasly. Even though it might be a year earlier than the organization would have hoped, Buxton identified him as the “frontrunner.”

ESPN called Hulkenberg the “leading candidate.”

Over Williams, according to Nate Saunders of ESPN was one among the teams that contacted Daniel Ricciardo early on regarding the upcoming season. They now, however, seem to be focusing on either American Logan Sargeant, who is third in the F2 standings and a member of the Williams Driver Academy, or Dutchman Nyck de Vries, who astonished everyone in Italy when he filled in for Alex Albon.

THIS MAY BE RICCIARDO’S LAST ACT The idea of Daniel Ricciardo joining Mercedes as a backup driver with the goal of succeeding Lewis Hamilton if the latter decides to retire after the 2024 season has been circulating among the F1 garages.

Buxton said that the reserve position might be filled through 2024. If this were the case, Ricciardo would spend 2023 at home and 2024 on the sidelines, giving him a total of two years off the grid. By that time, Ricciardo would be 36 and much past his peak.

Ricciardo told Insider, “The one thing I’ve embraced is that I’m definitely in the second phase of my career. “I’ve been in Formula One for 10, 11 years now, and I doubt I’ll continue for 10, 11. Therefore, in terms of that time, I’m definitely over my prime.”