Was Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren exit a blessing in disguise?
Losing the seat at McLaren turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Daniel Ricciardo.
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Daniel Ricciardo. Image via Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo’s contract was terminated by McLaren in 2022 after a poor stint with the British team. Though what happened was ill-starred, the Australian still has a role to play in Formula One. He was appointed as Red Bull’s third driver for the 2023 season. Ricciardo is one of the top talents in the sport, and what happened to him was unpleasant.
Daniel Ricciardo was replaced by Oscar Piastri for the 2023 season. McLaren team boss Zak Brown decided to terminate Ricciardo’s contract after analyzing his performance. The irony is that Ricciardo was the last person to win for McLaren. The Australian won the 2021 Italian Grand Prix and brought the team its glory. Ricciardo does not have a seat for 2023 but has made peace with it.
Ricciardo is one of the most remarkable drivers in Formula One. With a car capable of fighting, he would have taken the team to the top. Unfortunately, things did not pan out that way. While the team blamed Ricciardo for his poor performance, the car did not help him. The car did not suit his style of driving,
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Daniel Ricciardo’s move to McLaren was not fruitful
Ricciardo’s move to McLaren did not turn out the way he expected. The team and the driver could not understand what was wrong and why he struggled so much. His teammate, Lando Norris’ performance did not help Ricciardo’s case. On the plus side to all this chaos, McLaren did the Australian good with the contract settlement.
Looking back at all the events that took place with McLaren, it feels like Ricciardo is now in a better place mentally. He was spotted at the Red Bull car launch with his famous smile. The paddock loves him, and his personality, and the fans are glad he has a role with Red Bull. Daniel Ricciardo looked miserable when he was with McLaren. Week after week, it was the same story, but the Australian seems more cheerful now.
Daniel Ricciardo’s fans are happy with the dramatic start for McLaren
It was quite the drama that unfolded during Daniel Ricciardo’s exit. The 2023 season is McLaren’s first year with Oscar Piastri, Ricciardo’s replacement, and it has not been going well for them. The team ranked last in the Bahrain season opener. While Piastri was out of the race due to technical failure, Norris was the last driver to take the chequered flag. The Briton was two laps behind the leader, Max Verstappen. Well, this is embarrassing for McLaren. It should be noted that if Ricciardo was in that seat, he would have been blamed for poor performance.
Ricciardo’s fans were celebrating the team’s downfall. They took to Twitter and shared their opinions on this subject. By the looks of it, this has been a blessing in disguise for Ricciardo. He does not have to drive a car that doesn’t suit him anymore. The 33-year-old, known for his famous grin, did not smile much when he was with McLaren. He is finally free after enduring a lot with the team.
It turns out the Aussie was paid not to drive McLaren’s MCL60. The past few years were not in favor of the driver, but things have changed. He is no longer a part of a team that does not see his potential. Christian Horner, the Red Bull boss, was happy to welcome Ricciardo to his team. Drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel stated that Ricciardo deserved a seat in Formula one. As no one knows what the future has in store, Ricciardo might even land a seat for the 2024 season or later down the lane. After all, age is just a number, and Fernando Alonso is living proof of it.
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Sugantha Meena
(493 Articles Published)