Daniel Ricciardo is NOT ‘walking away’ and will see out next season’s McLaren contract as fired-up Aussie driver speaks out amid doubts over his future, insisting ‘I want this more than ever’
- Daniel Ricciardo took to social media to address the speculation over his future
- Doubts over his place at McLaren have surfaced after disappointing campaign
- The Aussie driver says he will see out his 2023 contract with the famous team
Daniel Ricciardo has addressed his Formula One future by insisting he’s not going anywhere.
The 33-year-old driver has had a year to forget, fuelling speculation that his time with McLaren could be coming to an end.
The Aussie veteran has a contract with the famous team for next season and he took to social media on Wednesday morning to respond to clarify his situation.
Daniel Ricciardo (L) has addressed his Formula One future by insisting he’s not going anywhere – he responded to recent speculation in a post on his social media platform on Wednesday (R)
‘There have been a lot of rumours around my future in Formula 1, but I want you to hear it from me,’ Ricciardo said.
‘I am committed to McLaren until the end of next year and am not walking away from the sport.
‘Appreciate it hasn’t always been easy but who wants easy! I’m working my a** off with the team to make improvements and get the car right and back to the front where it belongs.
‘I still want this more than ever.
‘See you in Le Castellet. Daniel.’
Ricciardo secured only his third top 10 finish of season with ninth place in Austria on Sunday
Ricciardo secured only his third top 10 finish of the season, crossing the line in ninth place at the Austrian Grand Prix last Sunday.
McLaren boss Zak Brown described Ricciardo’s showings as disappointing earlier this season, but last week insisted that the team were 100 per cent behind him, seeking to dispel any uncertainty about his seat for next season.
However McLaren gave young rising star Colton Herta a surprise F1 test run on Monday, casting more doubt over Ricciardo’s position.
IndyCar racer Herta began the first of two days of on-track running at Portimao, driving a 2021-spec car.
McLaren gave young rising star Colton Herta a surprise F1 test run on Monday
The 22-year-old is the youngest driver to win a race in IndyCar, and is highly regarded by those across the F1 paddock.
In a statement confirming Herta’s time with the team, McLaren said the test ‘provides an opportunity for the team to evaluate young talent’.
‘Colton is a proven talent in IndyCar and we will be interested to see how he adapts to a Formula 1 car,’ McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl said.
‘We believe this testing programme will provide him with valuable experience while demonstrating the benefit of expanding previous car testing to showcase promising drivers for the future.’
