Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton sent messages of support to Daniel Ricciardo after McLaren axed him

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton sent messages of support to Daniel Ricciardo after McLaren axed him

After a difficult two years with the team, Daniel Ricciardo will leave McLaren at the end of the season and he won’t be in Formula 1 next year.

Ricciardo’s move to McLaren in 2021 was exciting on paper. Fans felt that a partnership with Lando Norris could be amazing for the Woking-based outfit but in reality, Ricciardo was completely outperformed by his teammate.

The Perth-born driver still has a year left in his contract. Despite that, his underwhelming performances led McLaren to pull the plug early. Ricciardo’s young compatriot and 2021 F2 Champion Oscar Piastri will replace him at McLaren.

2022 was arguably his most difficult year in F1, especially when he realized that he won’t be getting a seat next season. In this difficult moment, Ricciardo revealed that the older drivers helped him get through it. In an interview with the Daily Mail, the 33-year-old described how their kind words comforted him.

Also read: “All the titles are incomparable to each other”: Fernando Alonso calls his comments on Max Verstappen-Lewis Hamilton title comparisons as fake news

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton helped Daniel Ricciardo

Despite his recent struggles, a lot of people forget how good Ricciardo was during his Red Bull days. He was with the Milton-Keynes-based team during an era of Mercedes dominance, but still won seven races in five seasons.

“Some of the older drivers were helpful when McLaren decided I was going,” Ricciardo revealed. “They made kind comments privately or publicly. Sebastian Vettel was outstanding. We had a lot of chats one-on-one. Lewis Hamilton was good, too.”

He left them for Renault in 2019 and had a decent stint with the French team. However, it was his McLaren move that really took his career downhill. Regardless, Ricciardo wants to stay optimistic and hopes he returns to the grid in 2024.

Also read: 8-GP winner Daniel Ricciardo believes he has fared worse with McLaren than against Max Verstappen

Ricciardo wants future sorted out before Abu Dhabi GP

There are just three more races left in the 2022 season. These may well be Ricciardo’s last F1 outings for quite some time  since it’s unclear as to when he will get a seat. However, he will most likely stay in F1 as a reserve driver in 2023.

He has been heavily linked to the Mercedes and Red Bull reserve roles, and it’s something the Aussie will consider. In the same interview, he insisted that he wants his future decided before the Abu Dhabi GP.

He also revealed that he wants to maintain some distance from the sport as a whole, but doesn’t want to lose touch.

 

Post Edited By: Tanish Chachra
Daniel Ricciardo Lewis Hamilton McLaren Sebastian Vettel

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Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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