Reports in Australia claim that Daniel Ricciardo has been contacted over a switch to NASCAR for the 2023 season.
The McLaren driver is leaving the team at the end of the current Formula 1 campaign and, as yet, does not have a seat sorted on the grid for next season.
He has reportedly accepted that his fate may lie away from the sport for next year at least, too, though there are still spots available at Haas, Alpine, Williams and potentially AlphaTauri, depending on what happens with Pierre Gasly, for 2023.
Daniel Ricciardo linked with NASCAR switch
SPA, BELGIUM - AUGUST 27: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia driving the (3) McLaren MCL36 Mercedes on track during final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on August 27, 2022 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
If Ricciardo does not end up at one of those teams, though, the sport will, at least for next year, be losing one of its most popular characters but F1's loss could be NASCAR's gain if reports from his native Australia are to be believed.
According to the Herald Sun, contact with Ricciardo has been made by Justin Marks, the boss of Trackhouse Racing Project 91, over his availability to drive in the championship next year
Trackhouse recently gave Kimi Raikkonen the opportunity to drive for them at Watkins Glen last month and he did an admirable job, before an incident took him out of the race.
Ricciardo would be far from the first driver to switch from F1 to NASCAR, then, and the Aussie is a big fan of the sport with him running the no.3 on his F1 cars just like his hero, NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt, did.
The report suggests that Ricciardo may be open to the opportunity, too, though the Aussie's stated intention has been to remain in F1 for next year as the priority.
If that option is not forthcoming, though, he could well be thinking about trying a different discipline for 2023.
What next for Daniel Ricciardo?
MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 27: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and McLaren talks in the Drivers Press Conference prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 27, 2022 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
It's a pretty clear demonstration of Ricciardo's troubles in the last couple of years at McLaren that it now looks a real possibility we could lose a multi-Grand Prix winner from the grid.
Each of the teams with remaining seats for '23 appear to have other priorities as things stand, with Nyck de Vries potentially in at Williams, or Alpine, Pierre Gasly possibly off to Alpine, Nico Hulkenberg or Antonio Giovinazzi at Haas and Mick Schumacher also potentially looking for a new drive, that could see him go to AlphaTauri or Williams.
Perhaps a move to NASCAR would intrigue Ricciardo, then, but he'll want to make sure that the curtain does not come down on F1 permanently if that is what he decides to try next season.
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