Daniel Ricciardo drops retirement hint amid speculation McLaren want to move on from the Aussie

Daniel Ricciardo drops retirement hint amid speculation McLaren want to move on from the Aussie after just two seasons

  • Ricciardo has been in F1 for 10 years and said he won’t be in the sport at 40
  • He admitted his F1 career is in its ‘second stage’ but he’s considering retirement
  • Ricciardo’s best result this season is a sixth place finish at the Australian GP
  • McLaren boss Zak Brown said this week the team was planning for the future 

Daniel Ricciardo’s Formula 1 career has entered its ‘second part’, with the Australian admitting he is far closer to the end of his spell in the sport than he is to his beginning.

The 32-year-old made his debut at the British Grand Prix in 2011 and became a full-time driver the following season with Toro Rosso and is the fourth-oldest driver in the paddock behind Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel.

Speaking to ESPN ahead of the Miami GP this weekend, Ricciardo revealed he had no intention to follow the Spaniard’s path and still be in Formula 1 after his 40th birthday. 

Daniel Ricciardo admitted his F1 career had entered 'its second part'

Daniel Ricciardo admitted his F1 career had entered ‘its second part’ 

‘Unless I start winning every race and it makes a lot of sense, I don’t have 10 more in me,’ he said.

‘So I’m definitely on the second part of it. I couldn’t tell you now if it’s three years, five years, whatever, but I’m aware that I can’t see myself doing this at 40.’

Ricciardo, however, insisted he was not ready to walk away from the sport just yet and was ‘not considering’ retirement for now. 

‘I’m still passionate about the sport and I still want to do good in it, so that’s it. It’s as simple as that,’ he said.

But he insisted he was not considering retirement just yet and still enjoyed the sport

But he insisted he was not considering retirement just yet and still enjoyed the sport

‘You just pull back [the negatives]. I’m still enjoying it. The results aren’t there yet. But a negative attitude isn’t going to help me get those results either.’

After finishing third in the Drivers’ Championship in two of his first three seasons with Red Bull, Ricciardo endured a difficult two years at Renault with just two podium finishes.

His move to McLaren last year came with big expectations and while he clinched his first win in three years, he regularly finished behind teammate Lando Norris. 

With Red Bull and Ferrari comfortably ahead of McLaren, it’s hard to envisage Ricciardo competing for a world title any time soon.

The 32-year-old has struggled for pace with McLaren so far this season

The 32-year-old has struggled for pace with McLaren so far this season

With his best result coming when he finish sixth in the Australian GP (above)

With his best result coming when he finish sixth in the Australian GP (above)

‘I think through doing it for so many years now, and just a bit of wisdom, maturity, and perspective, I don’t beat myself up about it anymore,’ he said.

‘I know when I was 27 or 28 I would say in interviews, like, I’m running out of time, I’m not world champion yet. I was a bit bitter about it then. 

‘But I’ve kind of let that element go. […] It is what it is. You just waste time and energy sulking about that stuff.’

Ricciardo is under contract with McLaren until the end of 2023 season and team boss Zak Brown revealed this week that discussions over the Australian’s future will begin later this season.

McLaren boss Zak Brown said this week the team was planning for the future and that discussions with Ricciardo will begin later this season

McLaren boss Zak Brown said this week the team was planning for the future and that discussions with Ricciardo will begin later this season 

Brown said there was ‘no rush’ to make a decision, but conceded McLaren would be ‘doing some testing’ with Pato O’Ward and Colton Herta, whose profile has rapidly grown amid Formula 1’s continued push to expand its profile in the US. 

Ricciardo’s best result this season is a sixth place at the Australian GP, but Brown believes the 32-year-old remained a great asset.

‘I think he still doesn’t think he’s 10/10 on top of the car, but he’s got a great relationship with Lando [Norris], he knows the team well […] we’re really happy to see Daniel on top of his game,’ he told the F1 Nation podcast.

source: dailymail.co.uk