Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko announced Daniel Ricciardo would drive for the team next year, before performing a backflip and retracting the statement a short time later.
In an apparent case of letting the cat out of the bag too early, Marko said the Aussie would return to Milton Keynes next year, four years after leaving the squad.
“Ricciardo will be our third driver,” Marko told Sky Sports Germany in the paddock at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
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“We have so many sponsors, we have to do show runs, so of course he’s one of the most high-profile and best-suited.”
But Marko also confirmed Kiwi Liam Lawson would come on as the squad’s official reserve driver. Third driver and reserve driver are terms often used interchangeably.
Putting Lawson in the reserve role would mean Ricciardo could move into a development driver role, where he mentors young drivers in the Red Bull academy.
But a short time later – possibly having been taken to task by either the team or Ricciardo’s camp – Marko retracted the statement.
Since confirmation came he would lose his seat at McLaren to fellow Aussie Oscar Piastri, Ricciardo has been heavily linked to a reserve driver role at Mercedes.
However, rumours of a Red Bull homecoming gathered steam in Austin when Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz reported during practice Ricciardo had signed a deal with his old team, with which he’s scored seven of his eight F1 wins to-date.
Since he was sacked from Haas this week, Mick Schumacher has now been linked to the Mercedes reserve role – the team his legendary dad drove for on his F1 comeback between 2010-2012.
Ricciardo made his F1 debut in 2011 for Hispania Racing Team while on loan as a Red Bull junior driver. He made his full-time debut with Red Bull’s sister team Toro Rosso – now AlphaTauri – in 2012.
He was promoted to the senior squad for 2014 after Mark Webber’s retirement.
Without a race seat on the grid next year, Ricciardo will line up for this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix knowing this may well be his last in the sport.
Ricciardo was ninth after practice concluded early Saturday (AEDT).
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