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Daniel Ricciardo’s Decision Final!

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Posted on August 26, 2022 Tags:



A Mutual Parting of Ways

Giving His All for Rest of ’22

WILL HE OR WON’T HE? It’s official – he most certainly will! Daniel Ricciardo has confirmed he will leave McLaren at the end of the 2022 Formula One season, 12 months before his original contract was due to expire.


“It’s been a privilege to be part of the McLaren Racing family for the last two seasons.

“But following several months of discussions with Zak and Andreas 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.

“I’ve enjoyed working with everyone at McLaren both trackside and back in Woking and will be giving my all on and off track as we enjoy the remainder of the season together.”

Daniel Ricciardo, 24/08/2022

“I would like to thank Daniel for his dedication and contribution over the last two seasons so far. Despite the shared challenges, he has always turned up with a fighting spirit and positivity and helped the entire team to always keep pushing forward.” Andreas Seidl, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team.

“Daniel has been a great addition to McLaren, and it’s been a pleasure working with him. I’d like to thank him for all of his efforts over the last two seasons both trackside and back at base.”  Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing.

Daniel Ricciardo scored McLaren’s only F1 win since 2012

Daniel Ricciardo’s Monza win was McLaren only F1 victory in nine years!

There was much criticism when Daniel Ricciardo left Renault (now Alpine) for McLaren, a move which seemed to promise so much but all too often produced disappointment and ordinary results.

McLaren seemed unable to produce a car that took advantage of Daniel’s undoubted skills under braking, just as the Perth superstar seemed unable to adapt his driving style to match the performances of his much younger teammate Lando Norris.

Except for that remarkable race in Italy last year where he held off a charging pack at Monza to score the famed British team’s first win since Jenson Button took victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2012.

Sure Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton managed to take themselves out early in the race, but the Australian led the pack even then and demonstrated his sheer class and ability to grab that coveted race victory – precisely why Zak Brown signed him!

Without Daniel’s poise and excellence in Monza, an exceptionally fast circuit, McLaren today would be facing the prospect of a full decade without a race win.

“I’ve never been more motivated to compete and be a part of a sport that I love so much and look forward to what comes next,” Daniel said on Wednesday.

While Alpine, Haas, Alfa Romeo and Williams are among teams with driver vacancies next year, only the French team is in the top half of the standings with an opening for 2023.

Interestingly, Daniel Ricciardo has spent the majority of his F1 career operating a Renault engine, after his years at Red Bull.  Alpine still operates Renault engines.

“I look back at this time with McLaren with a smile. I learnt a lot about myself, and I think things that will help me with the next step in my career but also just in general, in life,” he said.

“I think about Monza, I think about standing on the top step, I think about bringing the team their first win since 2012.

“That sort of stuff was awesome, to see the smiles on everyone’s faces and to be in that moment. That’s something I’ll never forget so there is a lot of good stuff to take from this as well.”


F1 team standings (with Nine races to go)

1. Red Bull: 431 points 2. Ferrari: 334 3. Mercedes: 304 4. Alpine: 99 5. McLaren: 95 6. Alfa Romeo: 51 7. Haas: 34 8. AlphaTauri: 27 9. Aston Martin: 20 10. Williams: 3


Back to the present and Andreas Seidl reminded us McLaren still have an important battle in the constructors championship ahead “and we look forward to battle this out with Daniel and Lando.”

And Daniel has his first opportunity this weekend during the Belgium Grand Prix at the 7km Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, among the most iconic venues on the Formula One calendar.

New changes bring new challenges

But the epic nature of Spa is still the same!

“This year, Spa has undergone some of the biggest changes we have seen since we started going there in the modern era of Formula 1.

“But we know something of what to expect thanks to the 24-hour race last month – our biggest event of the year in terms of people and tyres – as well as some asphalt samples that we have taken.

“In addition to some new asphalt on five corners, there are some new gravel traps on four corners, which are much closer to the side of the track.

“Drivers will need to pay more attention to track limits, and there’s also an increased chance of sharp gravel being dragged onto the surface.

“The epic nature of Spa remains unchanged though, with all the traditional challenges that make the circuit so exciting still in place.”

MARIO ISOLA

Gravel traps added close to the track at Turns 1, 6, 7, and 9

•             The three compounds in the middle of the range have been chosen for Spa: C2 as the P Zero White hard, C3 Yellow medium, C4 Red soft.

•             The asphalt is new between Turns 2 and 4, and Turns 8 and 9, with the bumps removed and increased grip.

•             Gravel traps have been added close to the track at Turns 1, 6, 7, and 9. The gravel features sharp stones, and there are also some sharp edges close to the concrete kerbing.

•             Spa is one of the most demanding circuits for tyres on the calendar, featuring particularly high lateral loads. The famous Eau Rouge-Raidillon complex is just one of the places where tyres are subjected to multiple forces: pushed into the ground by downforce and compression, while cornering at the same time.

Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

Variable weather is always a famous hallmark of Spa, making an outing for the Cinturato Green intermediate or Cinturato Blue full wet tyre a distinct possibility.

The P Zero Yellow medium and P Zero Red soft tyres are nominated for F2, with each driver allocated five sets of slicks (three medium and two soft) across the weekend. Saturday’s 18-lap sprint is followed by Sunday’s 25-lap feature race.

F3 Drivers have three new sets of P Zero Yellow medium tyres to use across the weekend, and another set of mediums, carried over from the previous round, for use in free practice. A 15-lap sprint Saturday is followed by Sunday’s 18-lap feature race.

NASCAR

After his departure from F1, Kimi Räikkönen made his debut in NASCAR’s Cup Series road race at Watkins Glen last weekend. Peaking in eighth, the fiery Finn was enjoying a solid run before he found himself mired back in the pack soon after the restart for the final stage. Then disaster:  his car clipped another, his steering wheel was yanked from his hands – injuring his wrist – and he plunged into the tyrewall. Question now is: Will he be back for more? Fans hope so!

RALLYING

Pirelli completes an action-packed two weeks of Belgian motorsport at Spa, with the all-asphalt Ypres Rally Belgium last weekend as part of the World Rally Championship. Hyundai driver, Estonian Ott Tänak won the event, using the latest-generation Pirelli P Zero rally tyres. 

PIKES PEAK

Pirelli has set a new record during the 100th running of the legendary Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado, USA, with a P Zero Trofeo-equipped Lamborghini Urus driven by multiple hillclimb champion, 44-year-old Italian Simone Faggioli setting a new benchmark for production SUVs.

EDITED by AC

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