Why Was Daniel Ricciardo Sacked From McLaren? How Did He Get the AlphaTauri Seat?

While many dream of driving in Formula 1, the sport itself can be ruthless to drivers sometimes. With cut-throat competition and pressure not just from other drivers, but also from the team to perform. Some drivers buckle. A great example would be Daniel Ricciardo. His exit from McLaren in 2022, even after winning the Italian GP, came as a shock to fans. But were Ricciardo’s struggles not evident from the start?

Before the 2021 season, the Honey Badger signed a three-year contract with the Woking outfit. In an attempt to revive his spirit, he left Renault following a string of unpleasant experiences. But that’s not what fate had in store for the Australian. In light of Ricciardo’s struggles, McLaren made a challenging decision.

Daniel Ricciardo’s awful run with McLaren: Struggles, sacking, and more

McLaren had enlisted Ricciardo as the ideal counterpart of rookie Lando Norris. But the 33-year-old struggled to keep up with the Brit. In the 2021 season, Norris out-qualified Ricciardo a staggering 15 times over 22 races. The 2022 season was no better. Ricciardo brought in a mere 34 points for McLaren, a stark comparison to Lando Norris gifting the Woking Outfit 116 points.

The pressure was piling on Ricciardo. It wasn’t just Norris troubling him. The Honey Badger had long stated his disapproval of the way McLaren’s challengers drove. Ricciardo might be known as the ‘last of the late breakers’, but that’s not the case when he’s trying to qualify. The Daniel Ricciardo has always preferred to go easier into a corner, so the car is well-balanced and can take the corner at a higher minimum speed. This driving style worked for Ricciardo back in his Red Bull glory days. The Australian was the only one who gifted McLaren with a victory, which came in Monza, 2021. Unfortunately, those days became distant memories for the Aussie while he was with McLaren.

So it came as no surprise that the bosses at McLaren cut Ricciardo’s trip with the Woking Outfit short. They announced they will part ways at the end of the 2022 season. McLaren CEO, Zak Brown, was quoted by The Guardian, “Daniel has been a great addition to McLaren, and it’s been a pleasure working with him. I’d like to thank him for all of his efforts over the last two seasons, both trackside and back at base. It’s no secret that we hoped we could achieve more together, but seeing him stand on the top step of the podium as a McLaren driver was a highlight.” 

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On this note, Ricciardo took a break from Formula 1. Even though smaller teams had shown interest in him. Fortunately for the Australian, he would not have to wait on the sidelines for long. A familiar face came knocking on his door!

The Revival of Daniel Ricciardo: Red Bull homecoming and AlphaTauri seat.

In November 2022, Red Bull confirmed Ricciardo would return as a third driver in 2023. Their history goes way back. The Australian arguably had his best time in F1 while he was with the Milton Keynes outfit. He drove for Toro Rosso from 2012 to 2013, after which the call came from Christian Horner. Ricciardo replaced the outgoing Mark Webber to race alongside Sebastian Vettel.

This wasn’t the only good news. They announced Ricciardo as the replacement of Nyck De Vries for AlphaTauri. De Vries had failed to perform up to the standards of Yuki Tsunoda. And Red Bull is known to be rather impatient with their drivers. Alpha Tauri’s team principal, Franz Tost, was quoted by Formula1.com, saying, “There’s no doubt about his driving skills, and he already knows many of us, so his integration will be easy and straightforward. The team will also profit a lot from his experience, as he is an eight-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner.”

Daniel Ricciardo has already had a few outings with Alpha Tauri. But he was replaced after his Zandvoort crash for a brief period by Liam Lawson. Ricciardo has since recovered and is looking to make a comeback at the US Grand Prix this weekend. Having returned to where it all started for him, Ricciardo will want to impress Christian Horner and Helmut Marko if he wants a shot at the top seat at Red Bull.

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