Damon Hill highlights ‘big question mark’ hanging over Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 career

Ricciardo is currently without a Formula 1 seat for 2023 after being dropped by McLaren

Former F1 world champion Damon Hill has questioned whether Daniel Ricciardo is still quick enough to merit a place on the grid next year.

The popular Australian is looking for his sixth team in Formula 1 after McLaren decided to end his contract a year early, with Oscar Piastri instead partnering Lando Norris in 2023.

It leaves Ricciardo currently without a drive next year, with options limited, and the 33-year-old himself hasn’t ruled out taking a year sabbatical away from the sport after eleven-and-a-half straight seasons.

And 1996 world champion Hill believes “something’s gone wrong” with Ricciardo’s performance out on track with the Aussie currently 14th in the Drivers Championship, 69 points behind teammate Norris.

“Danny’s been such a fantastic character for our sport, effervescent and always smiling and stuff, but something’s gone wrong,” Hill told Sky F1.

“Not only in his pace at McLaren, but also in his strategy for getting himself in a competitive car. Something fell through the cracks there and let’s hope he comes up smelling of roses somewhere and we see him back at the front.”

It has also been mooted that Ricciardo could take up a reserve role with a team such as Mercedes next year, a prospect which Hill suggested could be a good option as Ricciardo looks to rebuild his career.

Damon Hill has questioned whether Daniel Ricciardo (pictured) is still quick enough to merit a place on the grid (Getty Images)

“I think there is some logic to that,” Hill said. “If you’re at least with a top team, even if you’re in the wings and waiting for the right opportunity, you will have information that is useful to another team perhaps, potentially.

“But every team manager would be looking at him and everyone, every team, will be looking at him and asking ‘where’s the pace gone? Is it coming back?’ And that’s the big question mark. We don’t know.”

There is currently a vacant seat at Alpine - though Ricciardo’s departure from Renault at the end of 2020 means a return is unlikely - while Haas could also be an option should Mick Schumacher’s contract at the team not be renewed.