Daniel Ricciardo says he is keen to stay in Formula One despite a rough stint at McLaren, which will come to a premature end after the current season.
The Australian admitted on social media he was not sure what the future held for him after he and his British-based team agreed to end their relationship a year early after his disappointing results.
But Ricciardo, whose reputation has taken a severe hit in his largely unsuccessful two-year spell at McLaren, made a passionate declaration about his continuing love for the sport and his desire to get back among the driving elite.
"I think for the future, what lies ahead, I am not sure yet … I am not sure yet. But we'll see," Ricciardo said, breaking the "bittersweet" news to his 7.3 million followers on Instagram in a video address.
"The sport, I still love it … I still love it. This hasn't affected any of that. I still have that fire in me and that belief in my belly that I can do this at the highest level.
"I look back at this time with McLaren with a smile. I learnt a lot about myself and I think things that will help me with the next step in my career but also just in general, in life."
Despite a difficult two years, during which he was consistently out-driven by British teammate Lando Norris, the 33-year-old Ricciardo should not be short of suitors after his previous F1 successes, including a win at Monza for McLaren last year — the team's first since 2012.
McLaren team principal Zak Brown has said he would be happy for Ricciardo to stay with McLaren in some capacity — the team has IndyCar and Formula E interests.
But Ricciardo has made clear time and time again that he wants to stay in the fastest competition in the world, so he will be looking for a new F1 team.
The open seats
Alpine, Alfa Romeo, Haas and Williams have not finalised their driver line-ups for next year, so it is unsurprising they have all been mentioned as possible destinations for the eight-time grand prix winner.
Alpine would not be unfamiliar territory for Ricciardo, as he raced for the team when it was called Renault in 2019 and 2020.
In fact, Ricciardo has spent the majority of his F1 career operating a Renault engine, after his years at Red Bull.
Alpine still operates Renault engines and is very publicly looking for a driver after its poorly handled "signing" of fellow Australian Oscar Piastri.
After veteran and former world champion Fernando Alonso announced he would leave Alpine to replace the retiring Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin, Alpine made clear that it believed Piastri, the team's 21-year-old test driver, had an obligation to race for them alongside Esteban Ocon next season.
The Formula 2 champion disagreed and has been heavily linked with a move to McLaren to take Ricciardo's seat, which seems all the more likely now that Ricciardo has been let out of his contract a year early.
Alpine is also the only team among those currently looking for a driver that is sitting in the top half of the constructers' championship standings, and has done since 2018. It is fourth, just four points ahead of McLaren, before a big drop-off to the last five teams.
That list starts with Alfa Romeo in sixth.
Chinese rookie Zhou Guanyu was only signed for one season alongside former Mercedes star Valtteri Bottas at Alfa Romeo.
Meanwhile, at seventh-placed American team Haas, Mick Schumacher is coming off contract after this season.
The atmosphere under team principal Gunther Steiner has been described favourably, but the team finished last in 2021 and has struggled in recent seasons since joining F1, with ninth-placed finishes in 2019 and 2020.
Steiner and Ricciardo have reportedly spoken about potential moves next season.
Of the other teams, Williams is in last place this season.
Nicky Latifi's contract with the struggling English outfit expires at season's end, potentially leaving a seat open alongside ex-Red Bull driver Alex Albon.
But the team has finished last in three of the past fours seasons and looks set to do so again this year, having only scored points in two races, so it would be an enormous downgrade for a proven race-winner like Ricciardo.
After all, he got the last of his eight victories just last year, breaking an almost decade-long drought for McLaren.
"I think about Monza, I think about standing on the top step, I think about bringing the team their first win since 2012," he said.
"That sort of stuff was awesome, to see the smiles on everyone's faces and to be in that moment. That's something I'll never forget so there is a lot of good stuff to take from this as well."
But with top teams Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull having settled their driver line-ups going forward, Ricciardo's options are not all glittering.
AAP/ABC
