McLaren and Daniel Ricciardo have “mutually agreed” to terminate his contract one year early, meaning the eight-time race winner will depart at the end of the 2022 campaign.
The Australian joined McLaren for 2021 on a three-year deal, racing alongside Lando Norris, and while he secured the team’s first win since 2012 at Monza last year – with Norris second – he has struggled to match his teammate’s very impressive pace.
On the eve of the Belgian Grand Prix, as Formula 1 returns from its summer break, Ricciardo and McLaren announced they would complete the final nine races of the year together before going their separate ways.
McLaren say they will announce who will partner Norris in 2023 “in due course”. Ricciardo will do the same regarding his own future plans, but suggested he’s keen to stay in F1.
“It’s been a privilege to be a part of the McLaren Racing family for the last two seasons but following several months of discussions with Zak [Brown, McLaren CEO] & Andreas [Seidl, Team Principal] we have decided to terminate my contract with the team early and agree to mutually part ways at the end of this season,” the Australian said.
Ricciardo is currently 12th in the drivers’ standings on 19 points, 57 adrift of Norris after 13 Grands Prix.
His best finish of the year was sixth in Australia, while Norris has four top-six finishes including a podium at Imola.