Daniel Ricciardo says he’s ready to stroll away from System 1 for some time if the precise alternatives don’t emerge for him after his break-up with McLaren.
Key factors:
- Daniel Ricciardo will go away McLaren at season’s finish, regardless of having a yr left on his contract
- Alpine, Haas, Alfa Romeo and Williams have vacant seats for subsequent season
- Ricciardo’s former Crimson Bull teammate, Sebastian Vettel, mentioned McLaren didn’t get the perfect out of Ricciardo
Again on responsibility for his British group earlier than the Belgian Grand Prix lower than 24 hours after they introduced they might cut up on the finish of this season, Ricciardo made his revelation about taking a doable sabbatical.
However the Australian, whose future is up within the air, was given welcome backing from one in every of his most distinguished fellow drivers, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who predicted he would bounce again from his disappointment.
Requested if he would possibly think about a spell away from F1 if he didn’t get the precise provides to proceed, Ricciardo instructed reporters whereas dealing with a difficult press convention at Spa: “If it made sense, sure.”
“It is the one racing I am fascinated about. At this stage of my profession, F1 is what I really like and it is the place I see myself if I am doing any racing.
“However for example the celebs do not align and it does not make excellent sense subsequent yr. If it means taking that point off to reset and re-evaluate, then if that is the precise factor to do, I am prepared to.”
Ricciardo, who’s ending his contract with McLaren a yr early after a collection of disappointing outcomes, reiterated he was “proud” of his efforts over two seasons at McLaren.
“It is clearly not the nicest feeling, however I look again on it and I can maintain my head up excessive by way of making use of myself and attempting to make make it work,” he mentioned.
“Typically you simply have to just accept ‘I attempted however it did not work out’. I am happy with the way in which we tried to make it occur and persist by means of it however some issues, you would possibly say, are usually not meant to be.
“However I nonetheless love the game and thru all this — I assume, name it adversity — I have never misplaced confidence in myself.
“I nonetheless adore it and wish to do it competitively. I’ve by no means mentioned I simply wish to be a driver to make up the numbers. If I am right here, I wish to be right here for a function.
“So I do not know what meaning but for the long run however, after all, if it is the precise alternative, that is the place I wish to be.”
Aston Martin’s Vettel believes Ricciardo is way from completed in F1.
Telling reporters he was unhappy to see the Australian lose his seat, Ricciardo’s former Crimson Bull colleague mentioned: “I had the pleasure to race towards him and the not so pleasurable aspect of getting overwhelmed by him years in the past.”
“I do not know the small print, however I assume McLaren didn’t extract the potential that he has.
“I am certain that, in the end, the expertise he has and the qualities he has will shine by means of.”
Ricciardo is within the unusual place of getting to race 9 extra grands prix for McLaren earlier than they half methods, however he promised he would attempt his finest for a grand finale.
“I wish to drive as competitively as doable,” he mentioned.
“There isn’t any slacking off. It is simply exit and have enjoyable and try to get one other Monza second [to emulate his Italian Grand Prix win there last year].”
AAP
