Daniel Ricciardo is aiming for a shot at Le Mans in the upcoming series as he talked about his plans for 2023 outside the F1 grid as a permanent driver.
He was asked about his thoughts on racing in WEC (World Endurance Championship, another motorsport under the FIA). He said that 'a race' in Le Mans would be the best for him. Le Mans is a part of the WEC.
He told AMuS:
"A race like Le Mans could be interesting, but not the whole series."
After having his contract canceled with McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo returned to Red Bull as their third driver for the upcoming season. Although this means that he will not be having a completely empty season, it is hard to say if he will be getting a chance to actually 'race.'
In the 2022 season itself, Red Bull didn't use a single reserve driver for any of the main races. If the trend continues, Ricciardo will technically not be racing for an entire year.
Daniel Ricciardo feels he needs a 'break'
Daniel Ricciardo has faced a lot of difficulties in the past few seasons. Though it is true that being one of the first two drivers of Red Bull was the peak of his career, the fall in his performance has been too steep to blame him alone. Many believe that he could not acquaint himself with either Renault or McLaren.
However, he feels that he just needs a break. While talking about stepping into a different racing series, he seemed to be quite confident, saying:
"I would be the same as now, just with different cars. I need a break. It's a journey into the unknown."
It will be extremely hard for him to step into Red Bull and race directly when given the chance if he hasn't raced in a while. Hence, he feels that it won't be a great idea to not race for an entire year:
"And I'll be on the lookout for a chance to come back in 2023. If there were one, I want to be as prepared as possible. With one foot, I'll remain in the scene. A whole year of doing nothing would not be a good plan."