McLaren is believed to have paid $6 Million less to Daniel Ricciardo to end his contract with the Woking-based team beyond the 2022 season.
Daniel Ricciardo will not drive for the McLaren team beyond the 2022 season after a buyout was negotiated between the two.
Initially, Ricciardo had signed with the Woking-based team until the 2023 season. But the Australian driver’s underwhelming performance throughout his stint with the team led to this decision.
Although, the Honey Badger did score McLaren’s first F1 victory since 2012 in Monza last year. But mostly he has been outperformed by his teammate Lando Norris.
McLaren Racing and Daniel Ricciardo have mutually agreed that Daniel will leave the team at the end of the 2022 season.
The team thanks Daniel for his dedication and contribution, including that memorable win in Monza. We look forward to finishing the season strongly together.
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) August 24, 2022
As the silly season began, there were already speculations looming around Ricciardo’s departure either from McLaren to some other team or his departure from the sport.
It was reported that only the 33-year-old has the right to revoke his contract with the team before 2023. In case an early departure happens, the team is supposed to pay Ricciardo $21 Million.
Now a report from AP News suggests that even though the Honey Badger was initially seeking $21 Million, the team has paid only $15 Million to end the contract.
Also Read: 8 GP winner Daniel Ricciardo was better suited to the McLaren car, says Lando Norris
Is Daniel Ricciardo to be replaced with Oscar Piastri?
Ricciardo has won only one podium in 2021 and only 19 points this season so far. Meanwhile, his teammate Lando Norris has one podium this season and 76 points.
The 33-year-old Australian has been under the spotlight for quite some time. McLaren’s head Zak Brown acknowledged, in May, that Ricciardo’s seat was shaky. He had said that there were “mechanisms” in which the driver and team could split ahead of the 2023 season.
As the dramatic turn of events took off the 2022 silly season with the Oscar Piastri-Alpine saga, reports claimed that McLaren is eyeing the F2 champion to replace Ricciardo.
Piastri who is currently Alpine’s reserve driver had previously refused to replace Fernando Alonso in the French team. However, McLaren itself has not made any announcements yet about their 2023 lineup.
Meanwhile, Ricciardo will also be free to drive for whoever he wants beyond the 2022 season. It was speculated that he will return to his old team, Alpine(previously known as Renault.) But no announcements have been made about this either.
Also Read: McLaren offered a new job to Daniel Ricciardo in place of his $20 Million a year role in F1
