Guenther Steiner has declared his interest in Daniel Ricciardo; asks him to reach them if interested, but the American team won’t approach.
McLaren announced that they wouldn’t be extending their alliance with Daniel Ricciardo for 2023. After which, despite some reported offers, the Australian race driver is without a drive for the next season.
Currently, two teams are without a confirmed driver for 2023- Williams and Haas. And both teams have reportedly shown interest in hiring him.
don’t let the last two years fool you. this is Daniel Ricciardo pic.twitter.com/NGiZqfl2bK
— meredith (@mereeedithh) October 11, 2022
Haas boss Guenther Steiner has even publically told that he would be willing to make space for him. But there has been no response from the eight GP winner.
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Guenther Steiner tells Daniel Ricciardo to call
Now, with the new season only five months away, Steiner has given an ultimatum to Ricciardo. He has told the former Red Bul driver to call him if interested. Moreover, he has claimed that Haas will not make the first move.
“If he’s interested in us, he’s not shy to call me up. I will not chase him down,” said Steiner to Associated Press. As reports indicate, Steiner and Mick Schumacher are not working well together for the latter’s contract extension.
Moreover, recent comments by Haas boss Gene Haas claiming Schumacher costs a fortune owing to his crashes simply wouldn’t go down well with the German driver. Also, it could be a reflection of Haas not wanting to continue with the 2020 F2 champion.
Can Haas afford the Honey Badger?
Ricciardo is among the premium drivers on the grid. His current contract with McLaren pays him over $15 million a year. On the other hand, Haas has been a side which has always been short on cash against the other teams.
The recent budget caps have been a respite for him. But still, affording a salary this huge for Ricciardo seems to be a challenge for the American team.
However, the commercial gains Ricciardo can bring can also be massive for Haas, so shelling around $10-15 million on him yearly wouldn’t be a bad deal.
As of now, Ricciardo doesn’t seem to be keen on moving to either Williams or Haas. He is eyeing a spot in any top-five teams in 2024 and could use the next year as a sabbatical.
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