According to reports, McLaren is set to pay Daniel Ricciardo until the end of his current contract as the team have agreed to sign Oscar Piastri for the F1 2023 season. The Woking-based F1 team have taken the decision to replace the eight-time Grand Prix winner after a disheartening season.
Ricciardo has a firm McLaren contract for next season as part of the original three-year deal that he signed in early 2020, while still at Renault.
Ricciardo and the team will now have to agree a settlement involving a substantial pay-off in order for him to walk away at the end of this season.
He is understood to have no interest in moving sideways into the team’s Formula E programme, and is determined to find another seat in F1.
The Woking team is confident that it can hang on to Piastri despite Alpine’s claim that it has a valid contract with the youngster for 2023.
The Enstone team made an announcement to that effect on Tuesday that was subsequently challenged by Piastri on social media.
Ricciardo signed an £11m-a-year basic salary package which was due to run till the 2023 season after replacing Carlos Sainz for the 2021 campaign. In any case, reports recommend the 32-year- old is set to get a have amount as a pay-off to end his two-season spell with the British maker, with Piastri set to replace his comrade.
Recently, Daniel Ricciardo opened up and slammed his critics with a message on his Twitter account, stating that he is committed to McLaren till his contract runs out next year and will give his best to accomplish good results in the second half of the 2022 season.