McLaren boss says Daniel Ricciardo's seat is SAFE for next season

McLaren boss says Daniel Ricciardo’s seat is SAFE amid doubts surrounding the Australian’s future – and insists veteran CAN compete for a world title if they give him the right car

  • Daniel Ricciardo’s seat for next season is safe, a McLaren chief has confirmed 
  • Ricciardo, 32, has struggled to perform since moving from Renault in 2021
  • McLaren have been linked with a swoop for IndyCar driver Colton Herta
  • However, Andreas Seidl says they will stick with Ricciardo for next season 

Daniel Ricciardo’s seat at McLaren is safe for next season, team principle Andreas Seidl has confirmed, despite doubts surrounding the Australian star’s future with the team. 

Ricciardo, 32, has struggled to make an impact since switching from Renault two years ago, with young Lando Norris outperforming his more experienced team-mate for the most part.

Speculation has been rife that McLaren may be considering their options for next year, with IndyCar driver Colton Herta expected to get an FP1 run out in the car later this season.

Daniel Ricciardo’s seat at McLaren is safe for next season, a team chief has confirmed

The American has been strongly linked with a move to Formula One, while Pato O’Ward is waiting in the wings having tested the MCL35M at last season’s end of year testing in Abu Dhabi.

But McLaren team principle Seidl has thrown his support behind Ricciardo, insisting that the charismatic Aussie can take the team to championship glory if he is given the right car.  

‘We have a contract in place with Daniel until the end of next year plus options which means we are both in a very good place… We want to make this journey we are on together a very successful one,’ Seidl told The Age.

The Australian has struggled to make an impact since joining the team back in 2021

McLaren have been linked with a move for IndyCar driver Colton Herta next season

‘Daniel has shown in the past that with the right car and the right team he can pull off race wins, so there is no reason why he should not be able to fight for world titles if we deliver from our side.’

Ricciardo makes history this weekend in Barcelona where he will break Mark Webber’s record for most Formula One races for an Australian driver. 

He will watch the red lights go out for the 216th occasion at the Spanish Grand Prix and he is one win behind matching the former Red Bull star’s tally of nine victories in the sport.

However, Andreas Seidl says that the Australian can win a world title if he has the right car

‘The most important thing a driver must have is speed. That’s something we can’t fix as a team if it’s not there. Daniel has shown in the past if he has the right material, the right car, the right team around him he can fight with the best in his sport and win races,’ Seidl added.

‘He’s very experienced, he has seen different teams and different organisations and he has a clear idea of what it means to fight for race wins and that’s an experience we wanted to have in the team when we got Daniel on board.

‘Despite the huge experience he has he is not shying away from still putting the effort in to get better.’




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