F1 2022 thread - see post 1 for rules

Ricciardo wants to go to alpine. McLaren want him to go to alpine. Alpine want him to go to alpine.

The only issue is money. McLaren hope he will walk so save themselves a packet.

Ricciardo wants to be pushed to get a payoff.

McLaren know ricciardo cannot drag his heals as he may lose available seats so McLaren will give ricciardo all the time in the world to make 'his decision' even though the world knows he is out.

Ricciardo is bluffing that he really wants to stay to see out his contract in an attempt to get McLaren to give him payoff.

It's a game of chicken but ricciardo is blessed that all this went on as he really was finished in F1 if he did another year at McLaren.

Already chat on SM about Ferrari grid penalties in Spa

You might be right about his motivation. I often wondered about his move away from red bull after partnering Max for a year. Its possible he realised he's just not as good as Max and he decided to cash in.

Coulthard said he was offered Irvine's Ferrari seat to be Schumacher's no.2. But he refused because he believed he was best and would beat Schumacher. He acknowledged that he was very much mistaken in his typical humble style.

I wonder how a driver can partner an obviously faster driver and not be honest with themselves about the fact that they're not as fast. Maybe Ricciardo just realised the fact that he wasn't fastest in the team, let alone the grid. But he knew he could still make a great career and plenty of money in a few years and live comfortably for the rest of his life.

If I had to bet, I'd say he's lost his mojo and won't be back to his best. I hope he can find form again but I wouldn't bet on it happening.

I don't see much loyalty. Can you think of many examples of great loyalty in F1?

Christ.... so is that a ransom now?

15m per year I thought he was on. Must be more.

It might be incredibly high for you or I, but if it’s an offer from him to buy out his contract it’s almost certainly less that he’d earn if he saw out the contract, so relatively speaking it’s a low amount. He’s offering an opportunity to reach an agreement beneficial to both parties! He may be on €15m a year but there is likely all sorts of add ons also! Merch, bonuses etc!

Weren't talking about great loyalty but your point that there is no such thing in F1.

Just take a look at a list of consecutive races with a team and there is bound to be drivers on it who could have moved for improved performance or money or something valuable to them at a point in time but chose to stay for various reasons. On the other side of the fence, there’s probably drivers that have benefited from their standing with the team when coming to a decision on extensions.

Maybe there are plenty of examples. It should be easy to pick a few off the top of your head...

Yes I agree. It's a bit of a downgrade but I still think next year's Alpine will be a better car than next years Aston Martin and that Danial could do better than Alonso next year if he gells with the car and gets his mojo back.

We will find out next year and it will certainly be interesting to see.

Thanks. As I was saying, there's no such thing as loyalty in F1, as the entire Alonso, Piastri, Alpine examples demonstrates

There's a quirk in the way contracts are weighted to the back. The-Race described it as if a driver got $21m for 3 years, it would typically be weighted $6m for year 1. $7m for year 2 and $8m for year 3.

Ricciardo is said to be on $15m but that might be an average worth 13m, 15m and 17m. Rising each year.

Maybe McLaren are trying to offload Ric before Spa

I know that. Maybe I should have worded it better. He still loses at least 15million do by not being in Mclaren next year so unless Mclaren pay him that and the 21million too. Then Ricciardo would be doing very well indeed. I was thinking the 21 million was for this year and to buy his contract out but maybe I am wrong in that.

Its hard to imagine them dropping Ricciardo mid-season. But we'll just have to wait and see. It would be exciting to have a new face towards the front of the grid mid-season.

Mclaren are in a serious battle for the in the constellation championship. Maybe they feel they have a better shot by removing Ricciardo and getting a rookie up to speed mid-season. But I doubt it. I'd say there will be no change until next year.