The Australian Formula 1 driver - Daniel Ricciardo, is set to split his way with the British manufacturer, McLaren, at the end of the season. McLaren and Ricciardo both mutually agreed to terminate the contract one year before it was about to expire. He joined McLaren in 2021 along with Lando Norris, but his teammate performed better than him in almost every Grand Prix. The charming Daniel has just one podium with McLaren and has secured only 19 points so far this season. Ricciardo and McLaren announced they would complete the final nine races of the year together before going their separate ways.
Daniel Ricciardo says, "It's been a privilege to be a part of the McLaren Racing family for the last two seasons but following several months of discussions with Zak [Brown, McLaren CEO] & Andreas [Seidl, Team Principal] we have decided to terminate my contract with the team early and agree to mutually part ways at the end of this season." He further says, I have no regrets and am proud of the effort and work I gave McLaren, especially the win in Monza, last season.
Teammate Lando Norris also posted his message of support to Ricciardo after announcing the news. "From that moment in Monza, to the laughs we've had out of the car, it's been a joy working with you these last two years. Whatever's next I wish you all the best, let's have a mega next few months,"
It was evident that Daniel struggled quite a bit to ace his full potential. On the other hand, his teammate manages to score 76 points with one podium position in Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Nor did the Mclaren benefit from Daniel; neither did Daniel had a good time with the team in terms of the result he had expected. Moreover, the reports and rumors suggest that Daniel demanded more than $20 million to exit the team early, and McLaren paid $15 million to end the contract. Who knows what goes into negotiating these high-profile management transfers?
McLaren's CEO, Zak Brown, says, "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. It's no secret that we hoped we could achieve more together but seeing him stand on the top step of the podium as a McLaren driver was a highlight. We wish him well for the future and let's go enjoy the rest of the season together."
