Ricciardo “far too talented” to be Mercedes F1 reserve in 2023

As Ricciardo prepares to depart the McLaren squad where he has raced since the start of the 2021 season, after a string of underwhelming performances prompted the team to replace him with Oscar Piastri, there is intense interest in where Ricciardo will end up.

As he is understood to be receiving salary compensation from McLaren to cover the third year of the contract he signed with the orange team back in 2020, Ricciardo could conceivably decide to take a year out…