Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren are going their separate ways after the current Formula 1 season. A message that was of course also heard by the competition. A tweet from Aston Martin is doing the rounds on the internet.
Formula 1 racing team McLaren has agreed with its driver Daniel Ricciardo to terminate the contract early. The team announced this on Wednesday.
The Australian will still finish the current season, but has to look for a new cockpit in the premier class for 2023 – or take on a completely new challenge.
In a statement on Twitter, McLaren thanked its pilot for his “dedication and contribution” over the past few months. Ricciardo’s victory in Monza was particularly highlighted. “We’re looking forward to ending the season together,” said the racing team.
Aston Martin’s response is making the rounds
The competition from Aston Martin reacted to that tweet a little later. However, the British did not provide their post with a text message, but only sent McLaren a picture. You can see it: a visibly relaxed Sebastian Vettel standing at a counter and drinking a non-alcoholic beer.
A possible interpretation: While McLaren now has to announce a Ricciardo successor, Aston Martin is looking forward to any change of personnel.
The post quickly circulated as a screenshot on the web – and fueled rumors there that Daniel Ricciardo might be sitting next to Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin in the future. Alonso recently announced his move from Alpine to Aston Martin at the end of the season, where he succeeds Sebastian Vettel, who will end his career in Formula 1. At the moment, however, everything indicates that Alonso will be fighting for the points together with Lance Stroll next season.
Ricciardo, on the other hand, could continue at Alpine, where he worked before arriving at McLaren. “ESPN” recently spread rumors that Schumacher’s employer Haas had a conversation with Ricciardo about a possible collaboration before the Hungarian race.
There is also speculation about a move to the US IndyCar Series. McLaren team boss Zak Brown confirmed to “GPFans“That such a thing is definitely part of the 33-year-old’s considerations.