Daniel Ricciardo says he has "accepted" the idea of missing out on a Formula 1 race seat for next season as the options before him narrow.
The Australian was supposed to spend at least one more season with McLaren. But his contract will be terminated a year earlier than originally planned, amid his ongoing struggle for form and consistency since joining the Woking-based outfit.
And at this point, most of the seats on the grid for next year have been taken. Of the remaining vacancies, Williams look set to choose between Nyck de Vries and Logan Sargeant while Alpine are looking elsewhere, leaving Haas as the only real option remaining.
There may not even be a vacancy at the American team – Guenther Steiner may well choose to stick with Mick Schumacher. And even if he doesn't Ricciardo would face competition from the likes of Nico Hulkenberg and Antonio Giovinazzi for the seat.
Perhaps aware it looks like a long shot for him now, the 33-year-old admitted after the Italian Grand Prix : "I've certainly accepted, if I'm not to be on the grid next year, I'm okay with that. So I've accepted that I'm not going to do everything, or my team is not going to do everything just to put me on the grid if it's not right or it doesn't make sense.
"Obviously this year has been challenging and, if I am on the grid, I want to know that it's a place that I can enjoy it and feel like I can thrive. An environment I feel I can thrive in. I don't want to just jump into a car for the sake of it."
If the Australian does leave the sport at the end of this year, at least there will be one of his compatriots taking his place. Oscar Piastri, last season's F1 champion, is the man who will replace him at McLaren.
And there is the possibility of a second man from Down Under making his F1 debut next year. Alpine's preferred choice for their open slot is Pierre Gasly, but that deal could fall through as it depends on whether or not AlphaTauri will be allowed to replace him with Colton Herta.
If the Frenchman does not join, one of Alpine's alternatives is another of their academy racers, Jack Doohan. "We believe in him, he's shown a lot of potential, especially lately – talk about being present at the right moment," said chief executive Laurent Rossi, who committed to trying to find him an F1 seat "at some point".
