Daniel Ricciardo to make a return at the 2023 F1 Canadian GP as part of an 'alternate' TV coverage for ESPN

Red Bull reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo will make a return at the 2023 F1 Canadian GP as part of alternate TV coverage for ESPN2. Ricciardo will join popular comedian and actor Will Arnett for the race in Montreal, giving his expert insight.

The upcoming program, titled "The Grandstand with Daniel Ricciardo and Will Arnett," is scheduled to commence at 1:55 PM ET on race day in Montreal. Simultaneously, it will accompany the usual live race coverage on ABC.

During the show, Ricciardo and Arnett will provide live commentary on the unfolding race, supplemented by insightful discussions with special guests.

The Australian driver hopes the show will take a more informal approach and claims it will be like a couple of friends sitting around and talking about F1.

Speaking about the upcoming show, Ricciardo said:

“This is going to be a hoot! As you’d expect Will and I are going to have some fun with the show, but we’re hoping it just feels like you’re watching F1 with your mates. We will have some amazing guests, plenty of laughs and with some luck, bring fans another step closer to the sport I love so much. Buckle up America!”

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Daniel Ricciardo opens up about his time with McLaren

Red Bull's third driver, Daniel Ricciardo, expressed some dissatisfaction regarding his two-year stint with McLaren. The Australian driver made his move to the renowned British team at the beginning of the 2021 season.

However, he felt limited in demonstrating his full potential during his time with the team, with only a few races providing opportunities to showcase his true skills. This chapter in his career concluded at the end of 2022.

Subsequently, Ricciardo returned home to Red Bull, where he currently serves as the third driver behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. The Australian helps the team set the car up with simulator work over the course of the season.

Daniel Ricciardo said about his stint with McLaren:

“I don’t want to like go too far and be like, ‘yeah, I was depressed’ or whatever ut I certainly wasn’t always eating as much. I think I just wasn’t feeling right. I was honestly just not like my happy self, not my normal self."

With Sergio Perez performing at a high level in 2023, it is unclear whether the Honey Badger will ever make it back into the cockpit of an F1 car on a full-time basis.