In the Abu Dhabi race, Formula 1 said goodbye to four drivers, but certainly two have a different specific weight than the others: Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo. If as far as the German is concerned it is a definitive farewell, the Australian wants to remain “on the bench” for a year and then hope to take over, as Alex Albon did in 2022 and Esteban Ocon in 2020. According to Mika HakkinenL’Honey Badger he still has time to end his F1 career in a way that is certainly more dignified than a rejection after a two-year contract with a big salary but disappointing performance.
“It was great to see Daniel Ricciardo finish his career at McLaren by tying Lando Norris in the points on Sunday. Daniel is a good driver, but after a few years in F1 a break can be important“, wrote the two-time world champion in his column for Unibet. “When I retired from F1, McLaren boss Ron Dennis convinced me to take a gap year, but I knew I wasn’t coming back. I think Daniel’s situation is different: he’s had a couple of difficult seasons and needs to find his motivation again. At 33, he has time on his side“.
In two years in Woking, the Australian rider hardly ever reached the performance levels of Norris, much more constant and capable of bringing first the MCL35M and then the MCL36 to its full potential. For this year, the British can be said to be the only one to have reached the podium among the drivers not coming from the top teams, but for a curious twist of fate it is Ricciardo himself who boasts the most important goal: the victory at Monza in 2021 complete with a brace, right in front of Norris. To find more, theHoney Badger will have to wait at least another year.
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