Ricciardo confirmed as Red Bull's third driver for 2023

Red Bull has confirmed Daniel Ricciardo volition articulation its squad arsenic a 3rd operator adjacent play -- a relation that volition see testing, simulator enactment and commercialized activity.

Ricciardo had his McLaren declaration chopped 1 twelvemonth abbreviated implicit the summertime aft a deficiency of on-track show convinced the squad to motion chap Australian Oscar Piastri to regenerate him successful 2023.

When the quality broke, Ricciardo's options were constricted and it soon became wide helium was improbable to proceed racing successful F1 adjacent year.

As aboriginal arsenic the Dutch Grand Prix successful September, Ricciardo admitted helium was looking to F1's apical 2 teams -- Red Bull and Mercedes -- for a reserve role.

He remains hopeful that helium tin instrumentality to a contention spot successful 2024, though it is improbable to beryllium with Red Bull arsenic Max Verstappen is contracted to stay astatine the squad until 2028 and Sergio Perez has a woody until the extremity of 2024.

Red Bull brag Christian Horner said it was not the team's volition to enactment Ricciardo up arsenic a replacement for Perez.

"No, Daniel's declaration is precise specific," helium said. "We person a declaration with Checo [Perez] for the adjacent 2 years. The concern of Max and Checo has been phenomenal for us."

Ricciardo drove for Red Bull from 2014 to 2018 and entered the athletics successful 2011 with the backing of its inferior operator programme. His instrumentality was leaked by Red Bull's elder absorption implicit the Abu Dhabi contention play and confirmed by the squad connected Wednesday.

"The grin says it all, I'm genuinely excited to beryllium coming backmost location to Oracle Red Bull Racing arsenic their Third Driver successful 2023," Ricciardo said. "I already person truthful galore fond memories of my clip here, but the invited from Christian, Dr Marko and the full squad is thing I'm sincerely appreciative of.

"For maine personally, the quality to lend to and beryllium surrounded by the champion squad successful F1 is hugely appealing, whilst besides giving maine immoderate clip to recharge and refocus. I can't hold to beryllium with the squad and enactment with simulator work, investigating sessions and commercialized activities."

Horner added: "It is large to bring Daniel backmost into the Red Bull family. He has tremendous endowment and specified a superb character; I cognize the full mill is excited to beryllium welcoming him home.

In his relation arsenic trial and 3rd driver, Daniel volition springiness america the accidental to diversify, assisting successful the improvement of the car, aiding the squad with his acquisition and cognition of what it takes to win successful F1. We're precise pleased to beryllium moving with Daniel again and look guardant to everything helium volition bring to the squad successful 2023."