“Ricciardo’s contract is fixed and all the options are on our side with Kvyat,” team boss Christian Horner said in Mexico, confirming that the Russian is definitely staying.
Horner also hinted that Red Bull is now mere days from running out of time to get a car ready for the first winter test next February.
Amid the team’s engine-supply crisis, NASCAR star and Xfinity Series team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. invited Ricciardo as well as MotoGP’s Nicky Hayden to race one of JR Motorsports’ Xfinity cars on a road course at any time.
Ricciardo replied on Twitter: “OK, I’m looking at the 2016 calendar ASAP!”
“Unofficially I’d love to, let’s see what happens,” Ricciardo said. “I’ll sort out my immediate future with the (Red Bull) team and see where we are for next year first.”
The most obvious opening for Ricciardo’s debut would be the Watkins Glen race, coinciding with F1’s summer break next August.
“That would be pretty good,” Ricciardo said. “Party at the Glen — it sounds good.”
Also reportedly interested in a NASCAR race is Romain Grosjean, the new Haas F1 Team driver whose team founder Gene Haas also co-owns the Stewart-Haas NASCAR team.