Amid Shocking Daniel Ricciardo Exit Rumors, Here’s How McLaren F1 Ruined Kevin Magnussen’s Birthday

Daniel Ricciardo, one of the most fan-favorite Formula One drivers ever, may soon endure the harsh reality of the sport. After a bitter-sweet stint with Renault (now, Alpine), the Australian found himself embracing an insane opportunity with McLaren. And despite not delivering a commendable start to 2021, Ricciardo did play the pivotal role by gifting the Papaya outfit their first race victory in nearly a decade.

However, such monumental performances don’t seem to matter anymore, as McLaren reportedly seek his Australian counterpart, Oscar Piastri’s services next season. One will acknowledge that this is quite an awry situation for the 8-time Grand Prix winner, considering his recent statement that absolutely shunned every bit of rumor surrounding his McLaren exit.

In simple words, Ricciardo had the team’s support then, but, in a matter of weeks, the situation has taken a tumble. Hence, as the silly season blows up to a whole new level, we’ll have to wait and watch how the curtain falls on the nervy Ricciardo-McLaren topic. In the meantime, we’ve got something quite interesting for you.

Watch Story: Daniel Ricciardo’s Best Moments in F1

Truth be told, this would not be the first time McLaren would opt to end their relationship with a driver in a rather bitter manner. Here’s the story of Kevin Magnussen and how McLaren chose the worst possible time to break out the bad news.

Kevin Magnussen’s harsh treatment amid Daniel Ricciardo-McLaren rumor

Back in 2015, Magnussen was racing for McLaren, and it was indeed clear that the Danish driver was seeking a contract extension with the team. However, the Papaya squad had other ideas and was then eyeing other drivers who could potentially replace the now Haas star. Eventually, they did find the driver in two-time world champion, Fernando Alonso.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong in leaving Magnussen out of the team for a driver like Alonso. However, it was the path that McLaren preferred to break out the bad news that irked many. Following the official announcement, Magnussen revealed that he had received the news through an E-mail from Ron Dennis’ assistant on his birthday.

“It was a short paragraph explaining that there would be nothing for me in the future. It arrived on my birthday, actually,” Magnussen said according to Reuters. Sounds painful, doesn’t it?

Well, the good news with Ricciardo is that McLaren are hoping for a soft landing with the Honey Badger. So, let’s wait and watch how the future unfolds!

Read More: Even After Race-Ruining Penalty, Daniel Ricciardo Shows Absolute Class In Unseen Moment With Lance Stroll