During the week off that served as a ‘bridge’ between the last Austrian GP and the next round of the F1 world championship, scheduled at the French circuit of Paul Ricard, Daniel Ricciardo posted an eloquent message on his social media channels in which he tried to silence the many market rumors concerning his seat in McLaren for the 2023 season. The Australian has reiterated that they have a contract in place which also applies to the next year, to have every intention of respecting him despite the negative results that have seen him as a protagonist during this first half of the championship and to absolutely not be thinking about a farewell to F1.
But while the # 3 of the Woking team expounded these thoughts, busy at the Red Bull Ring for the Pirelli tire tests 2023, in Portimao the American made his debut at the wheel of an F1. Colton Herta. The IndyCar driver was sent to the track by McLaren as part of a test series organized by the papaya team with cars from 2021 and which will also involve other drivers from the main stars and stripes series, such as Pato O’Ward and Alex Palou. For the moment Herta is perhaps the most ready to be able to think about the leap in category, but McLaren has kept on several occasions to remember how next year will still be Norris-Ricciardo the titular couple in the Circus.
However, the leaders of the historic English team, now engaged in almost all the main categories of motorsport, from F1 to IndyCar passing through Formula E (from 2023) and Extreme E, have clarified how the Herta’s test wasn’t just a gift made to please the young Californian driver of Andretti Autosport. Interviewed on the official F1 podcast, F1 Nationthe CEO of Woking Zak Brown in fact, he reiterated how all the tests organized by McLaren are extremely “Serious”. “We are very serious about anyone who gets into a Formula 1 car – the 50-year-old commented to the American – the fact that he’s American is a great thing, it’s fantastic, but for us the aspect that always takes precedence over everything is performance “.
“Nationality is part of the ‘list’ – continued Brown, extolling the potential shown by Herta in his four seasons spent in IndyCar – but we would never select a driver for commercial reasons alone. The first ‘cut’ to overcome is: we think this driver is a possible world champion, capable of winning a Grand Prix? And if the answer is yes, then let’s move on“. Brown nevertheless wanted to underline how Herta’s origin from a constantly expanding market undoubtedly represents an added value in the American’s candidacy as a possible future driver for the papaya team. “First of all we are here to win the races – commented – this is what our sponsors want. And if the drivers are English, because we are a British team, or Americans, because that is an important market, or Asian, because that is also an important market, then this becomes a sort of commercial bonus “.
#McLarenHerta #Brown #confirms #test #FormulaPassion.it