Camila Vega
Today, it was announced that there may be a replacement for Daniel Ricciardo that may leave him without a team for Formula 1. Daniel Ricciardo is a racing driver currently competing in the FIA Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship 2022. He drives for the McLaren team carrying the Australian flag. He made his debut at the 2011 British Grand Prix with the HRT team as part of an agreement with Red Bull Racing. He has achieved 8 Grand Prix victories.
What’s Known About Daniel Ricciardo’s Replacement for McLaren in Formula 1
McLaren has told Daniel Ricciardo that it intends to replace him with Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri next season, a source close to the Australian driver confirmed. Ricciardo was reportedly informed of the decision by team boss Andreas Seidl after the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday night, and is now in talks with the team over a financial arrangement to leave his contract one year before its 2023 expiration date.
Multiple sources have said that McLaren and Oscar Piastri have signed a deal for next year, and now only Alpine’s appeal to the FIA contract recognition board could prevent him from driving there. On Tuesday, Alpine announced that Oscar Piastri would replace Fernando Alonso, bound for Aston Martin, but the driver tweeted more than an hour later saying he would not be racing for the French team next year.
Assuming McLaren’s contract with the F2 driver is upheld, Daniel Ricciardo now looks likely to take the seat at Alpine that his Australian compatriot did not want for the 2023 season, which would mean a lower payout than if he were to sit out the full year. Ricciardo raced at Alpine when it was known as Renault in 2019 and 2020, and the management team has changed completely since he left for McLaren.
Ricciardo was one of the strongest drivers on the grid in 2020 and there is a feeling in the Formula One paddock that he needs a change of scenery to get back to his old form. New Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer recently said he would have no objections to Ricciardo’s return to the team.
A move to the French team would also come with the attractive prospect of competing with McLaren on the track next year, with the two teams battling for fourth place in this year’s championship and likely to be similarly matched next season.
One option in left field would be for Ricciardo to replace Mick Schumacher at Haas, although Ferrari is believed to have the final say on that seat at the U.S. team. McLaren is apparently stalling on officially announcing Piastri until Ricciardo can find a drive elsewhere on next year’s grid.
Piastri’s blow is as big a moment for McLaren as it is embarrassing for Alpine, which appears to have lost a two-time world champion and a potential future world champion to rival teams in the space of 72 hours. Piastri, 21, will join 22-year-old Lando Norris for his rookie year in what will be a strong contender for the best young driver pairing on the F1 grid.
