Former Formula One star urges Daniel Ricciardo to make IndyCar switch next season

Former Formula One star Romain Grosjean has urged Daniel Ricciardo to switch to the IndyCar after revealing he would not be on the grid next year.

The Australian, who finished in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka on Sunday, admitted he will be ‘hitting pause’ on his career in the sport after losing his McLaren seat.

Ricciardo will leave the Woking-based team at the end of the season to be replaced by fellow Australian Oscar Piastri. 

Daniel Ricciardo has confirmed he will not be in Formula 1 next year

The eight-time Grand Prix winner was under contract with McLaren until the end of the 2023 campaign but after two underwhelming seasons, the team opted to part ways ahead of schedule.

Ricciardo said he remains focused on returning to Formula One in 2024, but Grosjean has told the Aussie to follow his example and switch to IndyCar.

‘I’d love to see Ricciardo in IndyCar,’ the Frenchman tweeted in response to a tweet from Motorsport.com asking their followers where Ricciardo should go next.

Grosjean knows all about swapping Formula One for the American series. The 36-year-old spent 10 seasons in the former with Renault, Lotus and Haas, before moving to the US at the end of the 2020 season.

Romain Grosjean has urged the Australian to join IndyCar next season 

Grosjean raced in Formula One for 10 seasons, before switching to IndyCar in 2021

Grosjean has picked up four podiums in 30 starts since joining the US series

The Frenchman, who survived a horrific crash in at the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2020, has finished on the podium four times in 30 starts in his first two IndyCar campaigns.

It appears unlikely, however, that Ricciardo will take up Grosjean’s offer.

The Australian has been linked with a switch to NASCAR and even V8 Supercars this season as his future grew increasingly certain, but appeared to rule out switching series on Saturday.

Ricciardo finished 11th in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka on Sunday 

The 33-year-old has endured two very difficult seasons with McLaren since joining in 2021

‘Certainly the plan is still to be involved in Formula 1,’ he said. ‘It‘s kind of like just hitting pause for a little bit, as I see it. 

‘As far as my F1 career goes, the full intention is for 2024.

‘If I feel it [racing in other series] is going to deviate away from my target, then I will still say it’s not really where I’m looking.

‘As fun or cool as it sounds to compete in something else, the truth is mentally I‘m not there yet.’