Daniel Ricciardo Leaving McLaren F1 At Season's End

[Webster]

Daniel Ricciardo to exit McLaren after F1 team terminate driver’s contract early

Daniel Ricciardo has been ousted by McLaren after the British team terminated his contract

www.theguardian.com

Daniel Ricciardo has been ousted by McLaren after the British F1 team terminated his contract. Ricciardo, an eight-time grand prix winner, had a deal until the end of 2023 and insisted last month that he “is committed to McLaren until the end of next year”.

But McLaren’s hierarchy has moved to end the 33-year-old’s disappointing two-season stint with the team by paying off the final season of his deal. Ricciardo will leave McLaren at the end of this campaign, and is expected to be replaced by the highly rated Oscar Piastri, 21.

This month Alpine announced that Piastri, a reserve driver for the French team, would be racing for them next season – only for the Australian to say he was not – with the Formula Two champion believed to have already agreed terms with McLaren.

McLaren said they will announce their plans for next season in due course. Speaking before the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend, Ricciardo said: “It’s been a privilege to be a part of the McLaren racing family for the last two seasons but following several months of discussions with [the McLaren chief executive] Zak Brown and [the team principal] Andreas Seidl we have decided to terminate my contract with the team early and agree to mutually part ways at the end of this season. “I’ll be announcing my own future plans in due course but, 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.