Formula One: Oscar Piastri is spotted driving a McLaren WITH Daniel Ricciardo in Melbourne

No hard feelings, boys? Oscar Piastri is spotted driving a McLaren WITH Daniel Ricciardo in Melbourne as Australian duo appear to bury the hatchet after Formula One fan-favourite was dumped for rising star

  • Oscar Piastri and Daniel Ricciardo were spotted driving in Melbourne together
  • McLaren dumped Ricciardo at the end of 2022, replacing him with Piastri 
  • However, there appears to be no hard feelings between the Australians
  • Ricciardo has joined Red Bull as the team’s ‘third driver’ for the 2023 season 

Despite being embroiled in a fight over a Formula One seat, Daniel Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri appear to be enjoying a blossoming friendship away from the track.

Ricciardo, 33, lost his drive at McLaren at the end of last season, with team chiefs disappointed with the charismatic Australian’s underwhelming showings in the car.

The veteran was replaced by his fellow countryman, Piastri, who has long been touted as a star of the future. 

Daniel Ricciardo was spotted in a McLaren alongside Oscar Piastri in Melbourne this week

Ricciardo was unable to secure a place on the grid for the 2023 season, settling for Red Bull’s ‘third driver’ position, but it appears that the experienced driver holds no ill will towards the younger driver.

Reddit user AidenBuckleigh posted an image appearing to show the Formula One rookie driving a McLaren through the streets of Melbourne with Ricciardo spotted in the passenger seat.

The poster said the pair were driving on Maroondah Highway close to Box Hill, labelling it the ‘spotto of the year’. 

Formula One fans will be aware of Piastri’s whereabouts after the 21-year-old posted on Instagram on Tuesday evening saying it was ‘great to be home in Melbourne for a break’.

The 33-year-old lost his McLaren drive last year and was replaced by his countryman

The 33-year-old lost his McLaren drive last year and was replaced by his countryman

Piastri will take Ricciardo's seat at McLaren in 2023

Ricciardo said there was no hard feelings with Piastri

However, there is no ill will between the pair, with a friendship appearing to now blossom

Ricciardo has previously insisted that there are no hard feelings between himself and Piastri, despite how things played out last year.

‘It was just how the chips fell,’ Ricciardo told the In the Fast Lane podcast. ‘He was in the situation, but it’s not like he created the situation.

‘It was just a product of all these things happening and then, okay, he’s the guy, and that’s it.

‘Of course Mark [Webber, Piatri’s agent] has a job to do as well, trying to find his driver a seat.

‘I get how people were like, “Oh, you know, doing that to another Aussie!”, and blah, blah, blah, but I certainly didn’t view it like that or take it as it seemed from the outside. We were all just trying to do the best we could.’