"I'll take a year off" - Daniel Ricciardo caught disclosing future F1 plans to Sergio Perez 

Daniel Ricciardo might look to take a year's sabbatical before returning to F1. Amidst reports of the Australian trying to join Mercedes as a reserver driver, a leaked clip of Ricciardo chatting with Sergio Perez during the Dutch GP has emerged.

Ricciardo is stuck in a quandary, as there are no top seats available on the grid for the 2023 season. The only viable alternative is Alpine, who are mulling Pierre Gasly as an option and ready to give Ricciardo the snub.

The Australian, who is leaving McLaren at the end of the season, was heard telling Perez:

"I'll take a year off, then I'll be back in 2024."

The Australian has not been in prime form at McLaren and had a disastrous race at the Dutch GP in Zandvoort last weekend - finishing outside the points - while his teammate Lando Norris finished seventh.

The Australian admitted that he faced an uphill tasj after a poor qualifying session, where he was eliminated in Q1. He said:

"It was always going to be a tricky Sunday because of where we started and the nature of the track. The first few laps were not too bad. I think we made some places here and there, but starting that far back, it's hard to make a big impression."

He continued:

"You need a big difference to make some moves and overtakes. In clear air, it felt like I had a little bit of pace to use - but it didn't always seem to last long. So, obviously another challenging weekend

Ricciardo is now looking forward to the next race this weekend at Monza, where he won last year.

"We look ahead to Monza, and I'll try to bring back last year's magic."

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What are possible options for Daniel Ricciardo next season?

At the moment, it's difficult to see what Daniel Ricciardo's future holds for the 2023 season. If McLaren and Alpine are out of the fray, there's no other seat in the sport that could match the Australian's ambition of winning or fighting for wins.

There's a seat vacant at Haas for now, but that would be a massive downgrade. There might be a seat at Alpine if the Gasly switch does not materialise. However, the French team might not be interested in Ricciardo after the cold shoulder he gave them in 2020.

Considering all these factors, the Mercedes reserve driver role could be the best option on the table for the Australian as of now.