Unwanted Australian F1 star Daniel Ricciardo could make a sea change to NASCAR racing as he is pursued by the top American team.
- Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo could be behind the wheel in NASCAR in 2023
- A 33-year-old man is said to be in the sights of ambitious Project 91 boss Justin Marks
- Ricciardo was released by McLaren, replaced by young Australian gun Oscar Piastri
Unwanted Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo may sensationally defect to NASCAR racing if he fails to secure a seat on the F1 grid next year.
Ricciardo, 33, is reportedly being eyed by ambitious Trackhouse Racing Project 91 boss Justin Marks to compete in NASCAR.
The Perth-born driver remains without a Formula One contract for next season after he and McLaren parted ways with a year left on his contract.
Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo may sensationally defect to NASCAR racing if he fails to secure a seat on the F1 grid next year.
Ricciardo, 33, is reportedly being eyed by ambitious Trackhouse Racing Project 91 boss Justin Marks (pictured) to compete in NASCAR in the US.
He was replaced by fellow Australian Oscar Piastri.
Ricciardo, who has won eight races in his career, said last month that he would be “at peace” sitting on the sidelines of F1 as a reserve if the right step in his career is not taken.
It is believed that he prompted Marks, boss of Trackhouse Racing, to quietly pop the question.
Marks is desperate to bring the elite athletes of the motorsports world to NASCAR and then drive for Trackhouse Racing.
British champion Lewis Hamilton (pictured left) has backed the popular Australian to continue his F1 career in 2023.
He would also be well aware of Ricciardo’s potential market value, and knows the interest would be huge if he lured the Western Australian to compete in the US, according to the Herald Sun.
After a four-year stint with Red Bull from 2014 to 2018, Ricciardo sought an outlet at the time to further his own racing career and switched to Renault.
However, he only stayed with the French outfit for two seasons before another move, this time to McLaren, where he has been since 2021.
In 225 races, the Australian driver has won eight races, most recently at Monza, Italy in 2021, and has appeared on the podium 32 times.
Earlier this month, British champion Lewis Hamilton endorsed the popular Australian to continue his F1 career.
“I think I should be racing, first of all,” Hamilton said before the Italian Grand Prix.
“I think he is too talented, he has earned the right to be among all of us at the races.
‘If I was managing him, he would be competing.’
