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Amid rumours he could step away from the sport, Aussie Daniel Ricciardo has responded, saying his time at McLaren “hasn’t always been easy”.

Australian star Daniel Ricciardo has hit out at suggestions he was set to quit Formula One declaring his intent to see out the final year of his contract at McLaren.

Ricciardo has previously addressed rumours of his future at McLaren in interviews at F1 race weekends, but this is the first time the Australian has publicly spoken out via his own social media channels to shoot down speculation.

Reports had suggested Ricciardo would retire from F1 and move to one of McLaren’s other drives in a rival series for either fellow Aussie Oscar Piastri, former world champ Sebastian Vettel or US Indy driver Colton Herta to replace him.

pic.twitter.com/FUZ63R3e7B

— Daniel Ricciardo (@danielricciardo) July 13, 2022

Herta completed two days of testing with McLaren this week while Piastri is almost certain to land a full-time drive on the F1 grid next season, most likely at Williams.

But Ricciardo is adamant Piastri won’t replace him at McLaren next season, telling fans he is going nowhere and he is still as hungry for the world F1 title fight as he has ever been.

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“There have been a lot of rumours around my future in Formula 1, but I want you to hear it from me,” Ricciardo wrote on Twitter.

“I am committed to McLaren until the end of next year and am not walking away from the sport.

“Appreciate it hasn’t always been easy, but who wants easy!

Daniel Ricciardo has endured a turbulent time at McLaren.

“I’m working my ass off with the team to make improvements and get the car right and back to the front where it belongs.

“I still want this more than ever.”

McLaren boss Zak Brown has been strong in his views that while he is not happy with Ricciardo’s performance in 18 months at the team, it is a shared responsibility to get him back towards the front of the grid.

Brown even said in an interview last week that he could see Ricciardo winning again for McLaren such is his faith the Australian will turn his form around before his contract expires at the end of 2023.