McLaren F1 team confirms Ricciardo exit but keeps quiet about Piastri
Aug.25 - McLaren on Wednesday made no mention of Oscar Piastri as the British team confirmed the termination of Daniel Ricciardo's contract for 2023.
It is believed clearing the way for Alpine defector and reigning Formula 2 champion Piastri is costing McLaren at least $12 million in Ricciardo's severance fee.
Team CEO Zak Brown, however, was not ready to talk about Piastri. "Today is about Daniel," he said on Wednesday.
Oscar Piastri
"We will leave the comments and speculation about who will be next to Lando (Norris) next year to one side. I imagine that everyone wants to understand our plans, but we will announce them in due course."
Brown said there is no deadline for the announcement, so it could be that it will have to wait for the outcome of any legal wrangling with Alpine.
"I will not take part in any speculation," team boss Andreas Seidl added when also asked about Australian Piastri, 21. "The subject of the day is Daniel and nothing else."
It is clear, however, that a confirmed race contract with Piastri is the target, even if that would pit two highly rated and talented young drivers against one another.
"Lando is definitely a superstar in our sport," Brown said.
"But I see no reason why McLaren can't have two drivers who are on an equal footing - as is the case with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell at Mercedes. Or with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc at Ferrari."
Rumours of Ricciardo's departure at the end of the season have been openly bubbling for weeks and months, and even the 33-year-old Australian admitted that his time at McLaren "just hasn't worked out".
"The team decided to make a change for next year, we had a lot of discussions but in the end we mutually agreed that it was the right thing for both of us," he said.
Ricciardo said he is "not sure yet" what he will do next, but he reportedly took a phone call from Haas' Gunther Steiner last week and has also been linked with a return to Renault-owned Alpine.
Seidl revealed that he and Ricciardo have "spoken" about a move over to McLaren's Indycar team, but the Australian's "real desire" is to "stay in F1".
Brown agreed: "We're still Daniel Ricciardo fans. If he shows interest (in Indycar), we're open to talks. But I think his whole focus is currently on Formula 1."
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It's disappointing to see how some F1 cars are so difficult for some drivers, even experienced ones like Ricciardo.
If a Red Bull is difficult to drive, but fast, then OK. But the McLaren is a dud, when compared to a Mercedes, with which it shares the engine. Unfortunately for Ricciardo, or anybody outside the big 3, the other teams have close to no potential to win races. Alpine, which has its own engine, doesn't seem to be anywhere near to challenge the big 3. Even McLaren beat Renault in the constructors rankings while using the Renault engine.
With DRs experience id spin it around hes better placed to drive a (so called difficult car), but lets be honest her, forget how Mr Colgate is with the media, Landa can make that Mcl go very very fast almost race after race, Mcl are right to have ditched DR, a rookie cant do any worse than him
"But I see no reason why McLaren can't have two drivers who are on an equal footing...." says Brown.
There will always be a #1 driver. Regrettably, this usually results in the #2 ride being "less than" in many respects. Being #2 in a hyper-competitive sport like F1 is a buzz-kill. The Other, often relegated to being a foil for the #1 driver. Famous examples are Bottas, Massa, Berger.
I view Ricciardo in much the same light as Alonso - WDC contenders waiting for the ride to catch up. It seems to me, that Alonso's fire burns like an Eternal Flame, whereas, Ricciardo's appears to flicker now and then. And tha makes me go "hmmm".
Canada, Come on, F1 isn't like waiting for a bus to come along, real barstewards go out and steal the bus Browns playing the Media Hamilton and King G , funny he didn't say the Dame and Bottas did he, i wonder why lol, Lando the superstar in our sport, errrr Zak , and Daniel isn't? says it all Zak
As for equals in the sport , yes there have been them Mansel and Piquet, Senna and Prost
Dr can choose his next team and deal length whether Haas or Alpine, might have to take a pay cut at either due to being basically sacked.
As to your last point , it can match my first point, Alonso steals the bus, or Turd as the Mcl Honda was and drives the Arse of it with no reward, Daniel as you say hmmm flickers with a strong puff or air and out of the reception area of Mcl he blows
I think that there's a bit of conspiracy going on with D,R, to be honest who would want to to drink champagne from his sweaty, corn infested fluffy sock shoe after a win, not surprised he's not winning "phew"
Inevitable & unsurprising.
Completely agree, but who was the only one of the two McL drivers to actually win in that car?
DR is great on his day when he's feeling it but pants when he's not and unfortunately he just seems to have been more pants than not.
DR's win was a great show of driving, specially leaving polesitter Max in his wake. But it was a day "the planets aligned", where an otherwise inferior car seemed to conform to that particular circuit, with DR at his best.
However McLaren needs points which are unlikely to come from wins. Therefore consistent scoring is a much higher priority, since Monza 2021 was a very rare event for McLaren
"We're still Daniel Ricciardo fans" lol - wonder how forked his tongue was saying that
Points accrued,Quali places, and end of race positions don't lie, And if , a strong IF, Alipne are daft enough to take him back and Ocon finally starts living upto his contract, DR will be there just 1 year....And If hes daft enough to sign for Haas, he can always say, yeah but the cars not good enough, book that seat 1st class on Quantas now DR, or go race DTM