McLaren’s ‘monster’ addition to their team helped lure Daniel Ricciardo

For two years a Formula 1 team chased Daniel Ricciardo’s signature, one key addition to the crew saw them finally land their man.

Daniel Ricciardo is set to join his third team in as many years when he gets behind the wheel of a McLaren for the 2021 Formula 1 season.

The team attempted to lure the Aussie away two years ago when his time at Red Bull had come to an end only for him to announce a blockbuster move to Renault.

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But now the McLaren team have landed their man and will partner him alongside Lando Norris with chief executive Zak Brown spilling the beans on how they were able to secure his signature.

The failings throughout his time behind the wheel of the Renault helped sway Ricciardo to make a switch, but it was the addition of several off-track figures that really sealed the deal for McLaren.

“A couple of years ago we were coming off a horrific season, one of our worst in McLaren history and really all I could do at that point was promise or make claims to Daniel on what my intentions were,” Brown told the In the Fast Lane podcast.

“But at that point it’s just words – ‘I’m going to get a great team principal, I’m going to get a great technical director, we’re going to get the resources we need’ … it was a lot of promises.

“Understandably he went all sounds good, but you are coming off one of the worst seasons in McLaren’s history and I think ultimately it didn’t get him over the line for those reasons.

“A year later, we have a very strong season, now I can say instead of saying I’m going to get a great team principal, I can say I got Andreas Seidl, who I think is making a huge difference in the team. I’m going to get a great technical director, I got one, James Key.

“(Ricciardo’s) a huge Andreas fan and I think that had a big part in his decision making progress as he says ‘Andreas is a monster’, and I think he means that in a good way.

“A year on he was able to see I put my money where my mouth was so to speak and the results were coming … that is ultimately why he made the decision this time around.”

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Ricciardo is a happy man ahead of his switch to McLaren.

The door opened up once again for the team to chase Ricciardo after Carlos Sainz was announced to be leaving the team to take up the vacant Ferrari seat.

Sainz replaces Sebastian Vettel, a seat that was linked to Ricciardo however it wasn’t long before Sainz was named as the driver to come in and partner Charles Leclerc.

“We had the ability to stop him (Sainz) from going to another team, but you know we have always wanted Dan Ricciardo,” Brown said.

“But it was one of those (times) where the stars aligned and Carlos had a desire to race for Ferrari, which is totally understandable.

“We obviously would have only allowed that if we felt we could get someone of Daniel’s ability and someone that we wanted a couple of years ago. So we said why don’t you go explore and we’ll explore and if you get the opportunity and we can get a seven-time Grand Prix winner then that’s going to work out well for all of us.

“I think we’ve got a great driver line-up and I think it’s only going to be stronger with Daniel and Lando.”

Ricciardo’s form in the Renault has turned around of late with top six finishes coming in the past three races.

He looked set to land on the podium at the Tuscan Grand Prix, however a late red flag opened the door for Red Bull’s Alexander Albon to sweep past and claim third place, pushing Ricciardo to fourth for the second time in three races.