4-time Components 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel has come out in assist of beleaguered Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo in an enormous method, suggesting that his crew has failed him and never the opposite method round.
The German driver, who introduced earlier in August that he could be retiring on the finish of the 2022 season, didn’t mince his phrases throughout a press convention earlier right this moment forward of the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix, addressing the drama that’s seen McLaren tear up Ricciardo’s contract for 2023 in favour of bringing a brand new driver in. Extra on that right here.
“Possibly I’ve an excessive amount of empathy for [a] Components 1 driver, however I’m very saddened by what’s occurring to Daniel,” the champ mentioned. “I believe he’s nonetheless among the best drivers… I had the pleasure to race towards him, and the not-so-pleasurable aspect of getting crushed by him years in the past, and I nonetheless suppose he has very, very a lot to supply.”
“I believe, on this regard and I don’t know the small print, however I assume McLaren didn’t extract the potential that he has.”
Sebastian Vettel
“It’s unhappy to see that he’s been put in a troublesome place, however I want him all the very best. I’m certain that, in the end, the expertise he has and the qualities he has will shine by means of,” he concluded, making Ricciardo, who was in the identical press convention, blush.
WATCH Sebastian Vettel deal with the Daniel Ricciardo drama beneath.
They’re remarkably robust phrases from Vettel – saying that it’s McLaren’s fault that Ricciardo didn’t launch on the crew. Maybe he’s keen to be much less guarded figuring out he’s retiring subsequent yr. It additionally speaks volumes in regards to the respect Seb has for Danny Ric.
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Vettel and Ricciardo have been teammates collectively at Pink Bull from 2013 to 2014, when Vettel left the crew he’d received his 4 back-to-back titles with for Ferrari, who he by no means actually gelled with like he hoped. In that sense, Vettel is aware of higher than anybody what Ricciardo’s going by means of with McLaren.
Whereas Vettel had a famously troubled relationship along with his teammate earlier than Ricciardo, Mark Webber, Seb and Danny Ric at all times had a relatively heat partnership. The parallels proceed, too – at Pink Bull, Ricciardo was the younger giant-killer who humbled Vettel, in the identical method that McLaren’s Lando Norris has outperformed Ricciardo.
Vettel isn’t the one driver who’s weighed in on the Daniel Ricciardo drama.
Reigning World Champion Max Verstappen, Vettel’s alternative with whom Ricciardo raced at Pink Bull between 2016 and the tip of 2018, has additionally come out in assist of ‘The Honey Badger’, echoing the identical sentiments as Vettel.
“Generally a automobile can not fit your driving model,” the Dutchman informed Sky Sports activities.
“It’s a really powerful place to be in. You might have a contract, you attempt to flip it round, and, if it doesn’t work out, I believe typically it’s higher to possibly pursue a unique course – no matter that’s. If that’s inside F1, I don’t know what he desires.”
“He’s a fantastic man. I believe he’s proven already over time that he’s an incredible driver. He’s received these races and I hope he stays in F1, however we now have to attend and see the place that will likely be.”
Max Verstappen
Regardless of their partnership being tense at occasions (though not as tense as Drive To Survive made it out to be), Ricciardo and Verstappen are literally relatively shut. Verstappen’s not identified for being effusive with reward for different drivers, so his assist of Ricciardo is critical.
The 2022 Components 1 World Championship begins again up this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix on the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, with lights out scheduled for 11pm AEST on Sunday, twenty eighth August.
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