Danny Ric at Mclaren?????

moby · Post by **moby** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 10:20 pm

Anyone watching the Sky coverage of GP?

One of the frontmen just said the 'gas' is Danny Ric at Mclaren?

Whats the Biz here? at Mclaren with Alonso? instead of Alonso? Any news here?
Sounds a very interesting deal!!

Exediron · Post by **Exediron** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:19 pm

I've heard nothing about it. But if it's true, I don't think it could be for 2018; Alonso has re-signed publicly, and Vandoorne isn't on a one year deal as far as I know.

It seems Ricciardo is in high demand right now, and every team is interested.

moby · Post by **moby** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:27 pm

Exediron wrote:I've heard nothing about it. But if it's true, I don't think it could be for 2018; Alonso has re-signed publicly, and Vandoorne isn't on a one year deal as far as I know.

It seems Ricciardo is in high demand right now, and every team is interested.

I am 99.9% sure Lazenby said it, but if someone said I was wrong, I would not argue TBH.
It does not make sense unless Mclaren either do not trust Van, or can not rely on Alonso being available for races.
Both possible, but not likely

Can anyone confirm it was said? (please

)

veffy · Post by **veffy** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:34 am

The only rationale I could see (for Dan) for considering this is that if it's replacing Alonso, with the attractiveness being that it's a high budget team he can build around himself, as opposed to ferrari, merc and redbull where he will need to compete.

However in doing so he will be taking the exact same risk that Alonso has been paying for these last few years.

sandman1347 · Post by **sandman1347** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 5:57 am

With Max committing to Red bull, Daniel will be the crown jewel of the driver market (assuming Hamilton re-signs with Mercedes). There really won't be another driver that's in his league available so he can basically just sit back, be patient and see how things shape up next year. He has the leverage to wait and make an informed decision.

McLaren are certainly a team to watch as they have been held back for three years by Honda and will now be set free. McLaren were a great team for a long time in F1 and I doubt that they will descend into mediocrity without a fight. I expect them to bounce back next year in a major way. We will see McLaren's finish on the podium next year and they might be a good place for Daniel to set up shop. He may be re-thinking his whole idea of trying to take on Hamilton at Mercedes or Vettel at Ferrari. Instead, having his own team that's built around him might be what he's looking for. McLaren or possibly Renault should both be considerations in addition to the obvious Ferrari and Mercedes.

Oddly enough, Red Bull seems like his worst option. Why stay with a team that is openly trying to build around your teammate?

mikeyg123 · Post by **mikeyg123** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 6:19 am

I'd much rather see him against Hamilton at Merc or Vettel at Ferrari.

Jezza13 · Post by **Jezza13** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 6:41 am

It'd all depend what type of deal, if any, is on the table from Merc & Ferrari & if anything is available from Renault.

Ric is in a tricky situation at the moment.

With Macca having to rebuild after the ill fated Honda marriage and Ric saying he wants to fight for a WDC it doesn't make sense to hitch his wagon to anything other than a manufacturer team if he's looking for immediate results.

Of course, with RB practically saying there's no more room at the inn for Ric, if Merc & Ferrari can't guarantee equal #1 status & Renault want to post bail to RB for Sainz then he mightn't be left with any choice to sign up with a current 2nd tier, non manufacturer team, be it Macca or Williams.

Black_Flag_11 · Post by **Black_Flag_11** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 10:02 am

Personally I can’t see him at Mercedes/Ferrari so long as Hamilton and Vettel are there. Ferrari are clearly focused on Vettel and adding a second rooster to the hen house isn’t really how they like to operate. Mercedes will have the turmoil of Hamilton and Rosberg fresh in their mind and will want to avoid a repeat.

McLaren in 2019 is a strong possibility, Alonso can’t hang around forever and I think if he gets another rubbish car he will call it a day. I also think there’s a chance if he won the title next year he would call it a day.

In that scenario McLaren would be looking for a top level driver to lead he team alongside their protege. Ricciardo fits the bill perfectly. I also think there’s a decent chance of a Renault seat after next year too.

Lt. Drebin · Post by **Lt. Drebin** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 10:44 am

Danny apparently looks like a loser in musical chair game, but on the other hand he is now the most sought after driver on the market.

purchville · Post by **purchville** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 10:50 am

I think there are two things to think about here.

Firstly, and most obviously, Dan wants to be in a WC winning car. That is clear, but these next few seasons it's going to be difficult to pick who the winner will be, given the "equalisation" of this formula over time. There will be more and more guess work in picking the right team, essentially more difficult to pick than 2014-17.

Secondly, he loves racing...and he wants to pitch himself against a top team mate who provides a significant challenge. Ferrari doesn't really provide that...Vettel is a "been there, done that" proposition. The two other options, given that his current team appears more focussed on his team mate, are to go up against Hamilton or Alonso. i.e. Merc and McLaren. Personally I hope he gets a seat alongside the former, as I think he might surprise a few.

lamo · Post by **lamo** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 11:25 am

Lt. Drebin wrote:Danny apparently looks like a loser in musical chair game, but on the other hand he is now the most sought after driver on the market.

I think he is the winner, he can see when the music is going to stop...

At very worst, he can stay at Red Bull which is what Verstappen is doing. So he is in a better position than him. If Red Bull get stuck with Honda he can jump ship. If Ferrari make a big step early next year he can try to get himself in that seat, the same with Mercedes.

He has a good mix of speed, experience and points scoring potential. He is a quite laid back character so if anybody is to go up against an established number 1 it is him. He has already made quite a bit of money and comes from a very wealthy family so he doesn’t need to demand huge wages eithe, he can compromise a bit on wage to help get himself the Mercedes/Ferrari drive

SR1 · Post by **SR1** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 11:25 am

purchville wrote:I think there are two things to think about here.

Firstly, and most obviously, Dan wants to be in a WC winning car. That is clear, but these next few seasons it's going to be difficult to pick who the winner will be, given the "equalisation" of this formula over time. There will be more and more guess work in picking the right team, essentially more difficult to pick than 2014-17.

Secondly, he loves racing...and he wants to pitch himself against a top team mate who provides a significant challenge. Ferrari doesn't really provide that...Vettel is a "been there, done that" proposition. The two other options, given that his current team appears more focussed on his team mate, are to go up against Hamilton or Alonso. i.e. Merc and McLaren. Personally I hope he gets a seat alongside the former, as I think he might surprise a few.

Indeed. It's the scenario that Ric, himself, would most welcome:

"“Forgetting the situation that he's (Hamilton)at Mercedes, taking teams out of it... just putting drivers… I've said for a long time [Fernando] Alonso or Lewis would be the guys I'd love to see myself against. Alonso's getting towards the tail of his career so Lewis at the moment is more desirable for me to go up against. So I would like that..""

Jezza13 · Post by **Jezza13** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 11:45 am

lamo wrote:
Lt. Drebin wrote:Danny apparently looks like a loser in musical chair game, but on the other hand he is now the most sought after driver on the market.
I think he is the winner, he can see when the music is going to stop...

At very worst, he can stay at Red Bull which is what Verstappen is doing. So he is in a better position than him. If Red Bull get stuck with Honda he can jump ship. If Ferrari make a big step early next year he can try to get himself in that seat, the same with Mercedes.

He has a good mix of speed, experience and points scoring potential. He is a quite laid back character so if anybody is to go up against an established number 1 it is him. He has already made quite a bit of money and comes from a very wealthy family so he doesn’t need to demand huge wages eithe, he can compromise a bit on wage to help get himself the Mercedes/Ferrari drive

The problem with staying at RB is that it's pretty much been decided that the team will be Verstappen centric moving into the future. I don't think that's a situation Ric want's to be in.

From Ferrari's & Mercs point of view, I don't think money would be a huge factor in the negotiation process, unless they're both determined to get him & get into a bidding war of course. I think team harmony would be a bigger issue when deciding who to plonk in the spare seat.

Verstappen33 · Post by **Verstappen33** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:47 am

Ricciardo saying he wants a top team mate like Alonso or Hamilton is nice and all but behind the scenes Red Bull already knows Max has him beat.

What does that say? A man speaking openly about moving to another team.
I can't see him staying after 2018 and if all goes equal for both drivers when it comes to technical stuff and engines not blowing up then I feel like 2018 might be a year he would rather forget. If Dan can move and get out of his contract for 2018 I would suggest he moves now before his market value will drop.

McLaren is indeed a team with potential for 2018.

Mercedes-Benz · Post by **Mercedes-Benz** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 1:51 pm

Verstappen33 wrote:Ricciardo saying he wants a top team mate like Alonso or Hamilton is nice and all but behind the scenes Red Bull already knows Max has him beat.

What does that say? A man speaking openly about moving to another team.
I can't see him staying after 2018 and if all goes equal for both drivers when it comes to technical stuff and engines not blowing up then I feel like 2018 might be a year he would rather forget. If Dan can move and get out of his contract for 2018 I would suggest he moves now before his market value will drop.

McLaren is indeed a team with potential for 2018.

If he moves he will go to either Ferrari or Mercedes and in future. I do not think his value will go down in 2018 or Mclaren is an option for him. He is more than capable driver to beat MV and that would be a good way to switch teams

pokerman · Post by **pokerman** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 2:05 pm

Verstappen33 wrote:Ricciardo saying he wants a top team mate like Alonso or Hamilton is nice and all but behind the scenes Red Bull already knows Max has him beat.

What does that say? A man speaking openly about moving to another team.
I can't see him staying after 2018 and if all goes equal for both drivers when it comes to technical stuff and engines not blowing up then I feel like 2018 might be a year he would rather forget. If Dan can move and get out of his contract for 2018 I would suggest he moves now before his market value will drop.

McLaren is indeed a team with potential for 2018.

All the major contracts are tied up for next season, I think the problem for Ricciardo is that it may become 2 pronged against him, not only Verstappen being better but the team supporting Verstappen more, since the extension of Verstappen's contract we have heard talk of making him the youngest ever World Champion and since then maybe unfortunate coincidence that Verstappen has had better equipment.

Another problem for Ricciardo is that if he gets beaten badly then his stock may drop which then may make it harder to even go to either Ferrari or Mercedes, Ferrari may be the better option for him because he's already beat Vettel plus he's better than Kimi, for Mercedes if Bottas has a good season they may not consider it worth the change?

KingVoid · Post by **KingVoid** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 5:58 pm

Ricciardo probably feels confident that he can beat a 38 year old Alonso.

It remains to be seen how this all evolves.

The most interesting decision would be if Ric went to Ferrari. I want to see whether 2014 was actually a fluke or not.

Option or Prime · Post by **Option or Prime** » Mon Oct 30, 2017 6:11 pm

KingVoid wrote:Ricciardo probably feels confident that he can beat a 38 year old Alonso.

It remains to be seen how this all evolves.

The most interesting decision would be if Ric went to Ferrari. I want to see whether 2014 was actually a fluke or not.

Not sure how that would work out, Alonso showed that even with a chocolate PU he can still hold his own on the track as shown by his battle with Hamilton for 9th place! I agree though that the return with Vettel would be mega!

pokerman · Post by **pokerman** » Tue Oct 31, 2017 1:51 am

Option or Prime wrote:
KingVoid wrote:Ricciardo probably feels confident that he can beat a 38 year old Alonso.

It remains to be seen how this all evolves.

The most interesting decision would be if Ric went to Ferrari. I want to see whether 2014 was actually a fluke or not.
Not sure how that would work out, Alonso showed that even with a chocolate PU he can still hold his own on the track as shown by his battle with Hamilton for 9th place! I agree though that the return with Vettel would be mega!

He didn't hold his own he got passed and Hamilton had a damaged car to boot, there were other cars that Hamilton took a few laps to pass as well, also a combination of the track being hard to pass on and the Merc not being good at following other cars.

BMWSauber84 · Post by **BMWSauber84** » Tue Oct 31, 2017 7:23 am

Moving to Mclaren would be a huge mistake. Even with a Mercedes engine in 2014 they were not particularly competitive. I hope I'm wrong but I think they are done as a top team.

Mercedes is the place to go for him in 2019. Hamilton likely has only a few seasons left, so in theory he'd become number 1 then. And that's if he didn't seize it before then.

mcdo · Post by **mcdo** » Tue Oct 31, 2017 10:41 am

pokerman wrote:
Option or Prime wrote:
KingVoid wrote:Ricciardo probably feels confident that he can beat a 38 year old Alonso.

It remains to be seen how this all evolves.

The most interesting decision would be if Ric went to Ferrari. I want to see whether 2014 was actually a fluke or not.
Not sure how that would work out, Alonso showed that even with a chocolate PU he can still hold his own on the track as shown by his battle with Hamilton for 9th place! I agree though that the return with Vettel would be mega!
He didn't hold his own he got passed and Hamilton had a damaged car to boot, there were other cars that Hamilton took a few laps to pass as well, also a combination of the track being hard to pass on and the Merc not being good at following other cars.

Missing a few external bits of the floor wouldn't negate the advantage of the car he was in relative to the McLaren. Of all the drivers Hamilton passed, Alonso made him work the hardest

Bentrovato · Post by **Bentrovato** » Tue Oct 31, 2017 1:09 pm

Hard to say but I would bet large Danny doesn't end up at McLaren. They have Alonso for a year (or more) and then will probably partner Stoffel with Lando Norris.

What happens next year with Renault's engines will be more revealing as to where he goes. If Red Bull lets their drivers race with equal parts, there's a good chance he stays. Renault could also make him an attractive offer (that's my prediction as long as they become competitive next season) or if Silly Season heats up, Bottas could end up at Ferrari to partner Vettel making room for Danny at Mercedes in 2019.

ReservoirDog · Post by **ReservoirDog** » Tue Oct 31, 2017 4:00 pm

lamo wrote:
Lt. Drebin wrote:Danny apparently looks like a loser in musical chair game, but on the other hand he is now the most sought after driver on the market.
I think he is the winner, he can see when the music is going to stop...

At very worst, he can stay at Red Bull which is what Verstappen is doing. So he is in a better position than him. If Red Bull get stuck with Honda he can jump ship. If Ferrari make a big step early next year he can try to get himself in that seat, the same with Mercedes.

He has a good mix of speed, experience and points scoring potential. He is a quite laid back character so if anybody is to go up against an established number 1 it is him. He has already made quite a bit of money and comes from a very wealthy family so he doesn’t need to demand huge wages eithe, he can compromise a bit on wage to help get himself the Mercedes/Ferrari drive

He can see when the music will stop, but there won't be any chair left in Merc/Ferrari/RB. The rest of the chairs are rather useless.

F1Oz · Post by **F1Oz** » Wed Nov 01, 2017 10:51 am

Not as simple as that ReservoirD - if McLaren have Renault engines for 2019, and RBR have Honda (as they won't have Renault, Mercedes or Ferrari apparently) - then it depends on how Honda develop through TR next year - who knows, perhaps it will be a TR world champ in 2018 and RBR with Honda the place to be

Or it could be Merc/Ferrari/ McL - and RBR nowhere till 2020

ReservoirDog · Post by **ReservoirDog** » Wed Nov 01, 2017 2:08 pm

F1Oz wrote:Not as simple as that ReservoirD - if McLaren have Renault engines for 2019, and RBR have Honda (as they won't have Renault, Mercedes or Ferrari apparently) - then it depends on how Honda develop through TR next year - who knows, perhaps it will be a TR world champ in 2018 and RBR with Honda the place to be

Or it could be Merc/Ferrari/ McL - and RBR nowhere till 2020

I can tell you right now that McLaren won't be close to winning anything. There, I just made it simple.

TypingChicane · Post by **TypingChicane** » Wed Nov 01, 2017 2:24 pm

I cant really see it.

If McLaren is fairly competitive next year, and they should be, then surely Alonso will stay for 2019. That means a spot will open up only if Vandoorne does not meet expectations next year as Alonso's heir apparent. And even then they could choose to promote Lando Norris who will be 19 y/o by then, although it would be unlike (pre-Zak Brown's) McLaren to do so.

And if McLaren is not competitive in 2018 (and Alonso perhaps consequently leaves), then it's not an very interesting proposition for Ricciardo either. From a sporting viewpoint, that is; I'm sure he would anticipate a substantial pay rise, which in itself could be a very valid reason for him to switch teams, approaching his thirties.

oz_karter · Post by **oz_karter** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 12:10 am

I hope not.

I just can't see McLaren challenging say Mercedes until the new regulations kick in (and who knows what could happen then).

Danny Ric would be well aware that Renault have been slow to close the gap in engine power and still have poor reliability.

McLaren are going to experience that in 2018 and beyond.

I think Danny Ric's best target would be the second Merc seat.

Ferrari like a clear number two
Red Bull are already on the Max bandwagon
McLaren are an unknown and risky
Merc have a solid car and continually win the championship in the current formula. The also provide equal machinery to both drivers.

He would have the chance to race against the sport's current benchmark - last time Danny did that, he trounced it.

Invade · Post by **Invade** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 12:15 am

oz_karter wrote:I hope not.

I just can't see McLaren challenging say Mercedes until the new regulations kick in (and who knows what could happen then).

Danny Ric would be well aware that Renault have been slow to close the gap in engine power and still have poor reliability.

McLaren are going to experience that in 2018 and beyond.

I think Danny Ric's best target would be the second Merc seat.

Ferrari like a clear number two
Red Bull are already on the Max bandwagon
McLaren are an unknown and risky
Merc have a solid car and continually win the championship in the current formula. The also provide equal machinery to both drivers.

He would have the chance to race against the sport's current benchmark - last time Danny did that, he trounced it.

Who do you suppose would come out on top between Hamilton and Ricciardo? Let's suppose they have 2 seasons together under the current regs.

oz_karter · Post by **oz_karter** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 12:25 am

Invade wrote:
oz_karter wrote:I hope not.

I just can't see McLaren challenging say Mercedes until the new regulations kick in (and who knows what could happen then).

Danny Ric would be well aware that Renault have been slow to close the gap in engine power and still have poor reliability.

McLaren are going to experience that in 2018 and beyond.

I think Danny Ric's best target would be the second Merc seat.

Ferrari like a clear number two
Red Bull are already on the Max bandwagon
McLaren are an unknown and risky
Merc have a solid car and continually win the championship in the current formula. The also provide equal machinery to both drivers.

He would have the chance to race against the sport's current benchmark - last time Danny did that, he trounced it.

Who do you suppose would come out on top between Hamilton and Ricciardo? Let's suppose they have 2 seasons together under the current regs.

I think Ricciardo is a much more complete driver than Rosberg was. Given that, I would expect Ricciardo to come out on top in at least one of those seasons.

He'll have been at Red Bull for 5 years at the end of his contract and Max isn't exactly helping Dan increase in value, so I think he needs to make a big move ASAP.

Jezza13 · Post by **Jezza13** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 1:54 am

My guess for no other reason than it seems the most logical, to me anyway, at the moment.

Ric to Renault as #1 and Sainz to back to RB at the end of next season.

kleefton · Post by **kleefton** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 2:24 am

F1Oz wrote:Not as simple as that ReservoirD - if McLaren have Renault engines for 2019, and RBR have Honda (as they won't have Renault, Mercedes or Ferrari apparently) - then it depends on how Honda develop through TR next year - who knows, perhaps it will be a TR world champ in 2018 and RBR with Honda the place to be

Or it could be Merc/Ferrari/ McL - and RBR nowhere till 2020

Those are the two most unlikely predictions of all time. Honda a champ with TR? Not going to happen.

I have more faith in Mclaren Renault, but the Renault PU's reliability has been scary this year, to say the least. And they are supposed to go to a new concept for next year. Where have we heard that before?

moby · Post by **moby** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 4:38 pm

kleefton wrote:
F1Oz wrote:Not as simple as that ReservoirD - if McLaren have Renault engines for 2019, and RBR have Honda (as they won't have Renault, Mercedes or Ferrari apparently) - then it depends on how Honda develop through TR next year - who knows, perhaps it will be a TR world champ in 2018 and RBR with Honda the place to be

Or it could be Merc/Ferrari/ McL - and RBR nowhere till 2020
Those are the two most unlikely predictions of all time. Honda a champ with TR? Not going to happen.

I have more faith in Mclaren Renault, but the Renault PU's reliability has been scary this year, to say the least. And they are supposed to go to a new concept for next year. Where have we heard that before?

But remember who the end owner of STR is. They could easily decide to change horses mid year and let the 'other' Red Bull asset go

kleefton · Post by **kleefton** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 5:36 pm

moby wrote:
kleefton wrote:
F1Oz wrote:Not as simple as that ReservoirD - if McLaren have Renault engines for 2019, and RBR have Honda (as they won't have Renault, Mercedes or Ferrari apparently) - then it depends on how Honda develop through TR next year - who knows, perhaps it will be a TR world champ in 2018 and RBR with Honda the place to be

Or it could be Merc/Ferrari/ McL - and RBR nowhere till 2020
Those are the two most unlikely predictions of all time. Honda a champ with TR? Not going to happen.

I have more faith in Mclaren Renault, but the Renault PU's reliability has been scary this year, to say the least. And they are supposed to go to a new concept for next year. Where have we heard that before?

But remember who the end owner of STR is. They could easily decide to change horses mid year and let the 'other' Red Bull asset go

So just say redbull honda as 2018 champ.

Still not buying it. Honda is just out of their depth and have been for 3 years. To see them produce a class leading engine next year is incredibly far fetched.

moby · Post by **moby** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:11 pm

kleefton wrote:
moby wrote:
kleefton wrote:
F1Oz wrote:Not as simple as that ReservoirD - if McLaren have Renault engines for 2019, and RBR have Honda (as they won't have Renault, Mercedes or Ferrari apparently) - then it depends on how Honda develop through TR next year - who knows, perhaps it will be a TR world champ in 2018 and RBR with Honda the place to be

Or it could be Merc/Ferrari/ McL - and RBR nowhere till 2020
Those are the two most unlikely predictions of all time. Honda a champ with TR? Not going to happen.

I have more faith in Mclaren Renault, but the Renault PU's reliability has been scary this year, to say the least. And they are supposed to go to a new concept for next year. Where have we heard that before?

But remember who the end owner of STR is. They could easily decide to change horses mid year and let the 'other' Red Bull asset go
So just say redbull honda as 2018 champ.

Still not buying it. Honda is just out of their depth and have been for 3 years. To see them produce a class leading engine next year is incredibly far fetched.

It is, but is it not what we have all been waiting 3 years for? If they have the 'cure' on the bench but Mclaren did not want to go that way with the car, it could be a very good car straight out of the box. As it was only Mclaren running it this year (s) there is no tie in as to what restrictions they are working under.

As you say, far fetched, but so was Brawn CC and Drivers.

mas · Post by **mas** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:33 pm

As long as RBR stop badmouthing Renault engines in the next season I reckon Renault will keep on supplying them afterwards especially if they keep winning. However can RBR with their enormous sense of entitlement stop badmouthing Renault for a whole season !

Honda also looked like they made progress with their development methodology in Mexico, who knows by 2019 they might have a decent engine too.

Blinky McSquinty · Post by **Blinky McSquinty** » Sat Nov 04, 2017 12:31 am

Ricciardo said this November 1st.

"I'm not going to pull the trigger on anything early; I think I should be smart and take my time."
https://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/360 ... t-hurt-me/

So for 2018 we all know he will be in a Red Bull. But big changes are on the horizon, and IMO it is smart to position yourself for when 2020 comes. But right now Ricciardo earns $6.5 million. Red Bull have a powerful bonus program, winning is where a driver makes big bucks at red Bull.

So how much do you think McLaren are willing to offer for Ricciardo's services?

oz_karter · Post by **oz_karter** » Sat Nov 04, 2017 3:10 am

mas wrote:As long as RBR stop badmouthing Renault engines in the next season I reckon Renault will keep on supplying them afterwards especially if they keep winning. However can RBR with their enormous sense of entitlement stop badmouthing Renault for a whole season ! Honda also looked like they made progress with their development methodology in Mexico, who knows by 2019 they might have a decent engine too.

Last I saw, Renault have pretty much ruled out supplying RBR in 2019.

BMWSauber84 · Post by **BMWSauber84** » Sat Nov 04, 2017 4:29 pm

Much will depend on how Vandooorne performs next season. He came in to F1 as a very experienced rookie, Mclaren had high hopes for him and I think he has generally done well of late.

But if he outperforms Alonso more often next season then Mclaren may not feel the need to spend big on a Ricciardo type driver when Alonso retires from F1.

kleefton · Post by **kleefton** » Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:20 am

BMWSauber84 wrote:Much will depend on how Vandooorne performs next season. He came in to F1 as a very experienced rookie, Mclaren had high hopes for him and I think he has generally done well of late.

But if he outperforms Alonso more often next season then Mclaren may not feel the need to spend big on a Ricciardo type driver when Alonso retires from F1.

He really has not shown much at all this year has he? I hope he turns out to be a decent driver, but there were people rating him as better than Vettel and Hamilton. Uh...I don't think so.

Randine · Post by **Randine** » Mon Nov 06, 2017 6:41 am

Blinky McSquinty wrote:Ricciardo said this November 1st.

"I'm not going to pull the trigger on anything early; I think I should be smart and take my time."
https://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/360 ... t-hurt-me/

So for 2018 we all know he will be in a Red Bull. But big changes are on the horizon, and IMO it is smart to position yourself for when 2020 comes. But right now Ricciardo earns $6.5 million. Red Bull have a powerful bonus program, winning is where a driver makes big bucks at red Bull.

So how much do you think McLaren are willing to offer for Ricciardo's services?

Bottas is on 8.5 million at Merc. So at least 10, maybe 15.
I think Ricciardo is in a great spot.
He has been promised a winning car at Red Bull every year, but they haven’t delivered.
Red Bull also have uncertainty around the engine for 2019.
I think Dan is better waiting it out as it could become a bidding war for his services between Ferrari, Merc and Red Bull.

Some seem to quick to say Max is now better. Remember Red Bull happily let a 4 time WDC walk out of his contract a year early as they knew Dan was better. Just give Dan a proper title challenging car and let’s see what he can do. Right now he is frustrated Red Bull haven’t delivered and he is going into his fifth season with the team.
If Red Bull are the team to beat in 2018, I expect Dan to raise his game and beat Max over a season.
I can’t wait to see what pans out.