Daniel Ricciardo to depart McLaren, but Haas, Alpine lifelines loom
Star Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo says he has no regrets with early release from McLaren contract as he eyes potential seats at Haas and Alpine.
Australia’s Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo has been released from his final year of contract with McLaren.
Ricciardo, who has perplexingly underperformed for most of the season, said he would announce his own future plans “in due course”.
“Regardless of what this next chapter brings, I have no regrets and am proud of the effort and work I gave McLaren, especially the win in Monza, last season,” he said.
The 33-year-old from Perth has been linked to a last minute lifeline with the Haas team to stay in F1 with the Haas team. There may also be a chance for him to return to Renault, now known as Alpine, if their reserve driver, another Australian Oscar Piastri, is now allowed to join McLaren.
— Daniel Ricciardo (@danielricciardo) August 24, 2022
McLaren team boss Zach Brown said there had been a discussion to try and keep Ricciardo if he wished to race in Indycar, but he noted of Ricciardo: “He has a real desire to stay in F1”.
F1’s game of musical chairs has been hold while the F1 Contracts Board investigated what appeared to be contracts by both Alpine and McLaren for Piastri’s services. It appears that now that Ricciardo has agreed to move on, Piastri may soon be announced as the McLaren driver.
The decision by Ricciardo and McLaren to terminate their three-year-contract one year early has been in the wind since before the Monaco GP.
But up until Wednesday, the former Renault and Red Bull driver had been adamant he would stick it out, despite some disappointing results in the McLaren seat.
Ricciardo said he would give his all for McLaren for the remainder of the season.
“I’ve enjoyed working with everyone at McLaren both trackside and back in Woking (where McLaren is based) and will be giving my all on and off track as we enjoy the remainder of the season together.”
McLaren Racing and Daniel Ricciardo have mutually agreed that Daniel will leave the team at the end of the 2022 season.
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) August 24, 2022
The team thanks Daniel for his dedication and contribution, including that memorable win in Monza. We look forward to finishing the season strongly together.
Ricciardo’s best finish this year was sixth in Melbourne, and he has often found himself starting from midfield or worse on the grid.
But his difficulties became even more stark while McLaren’s other driver, Lando Norris, regularly scored more points for the team in the fight for the constructor’s championship.
“There was a contract and it needed mutual agreement to terminate it early, but after discussion with Daniel we felt it was the right thing for both sides to split ways for next year,” McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl said:
“If you look back at the last 18 months of our journey together, Daniel and McLaren, it’s clear we haven’t achieved the result we wanted, despite highlights like the great win in Monza last year.
“That’s why we had a lot of discussions but in the end we had to acknowledge we did not make it work together despite the commitment that was there from Daniel’s side and all the effort the team has put in and that’s why we came to the agreement we would terminate the contract at the end of this year.
“It’s not the outcome we wanted but we want to put in all the effort to finish the relationship on a high.”
What a ride @danielricciardo. From that moment in Monza, to the laughs we've had out of the car, it's been a joy working with you these last two years. Whatever’s next I wish you all the best, let's have a mega next few months pic.twitter.com/V0F5oQylpb
— Lando Norris (@LandoNorris) August 24, 2022
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