Breaking news
Formula 1
Hamilton cautions Ricciardo not to alienate Red Bull
Lewis Hamilton has cautioned Formula 1 rival Daniel Ricciardo not to alienate Red Bull Racing while negotiations about his future with the team continue.
Adam Cooper
Edited: Mar 22, 2018, 10:50 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Ricciardo, whose current contract expires this year, has yet to sign a deal for 2019, and has been mentioned in connection with Mercedes and Ferrari, who will potentially have seats available after this season.
Mercedes driver Hamilton warned Ricciardo that coveting a seat at another team can ruin your relationship with your current employer.
The Briton reckons that is a particularly sensitive issue this year, as he believes Ricciardo could be fighting for the title.
"An important thing really is to look at the history of drivers, and things that drivers have said in the past, and try not to alienate the team that you're in," said Hamilton during Thursday's press conference ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
"It's all good and well hoping at some stage to experience something new at another team.
"But there's a lot of people in our teams, and it's really important to keep them encouraged and focussed on you as a driver, to help you achieve your goal.
"There are some drivers of recent years who have made bad decisions in upsetting and rocking the boat.
"He's in a great place still, Red Bull I think this year can really have a fighting chance to win the championship.
"An opinion of where you might want to go if it's not where he currently is may shift."
Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes that the only hurdle to overcome in getting Ricciardo to agree a new deal is convincing him that the Milton Keynes-based outfit will have a competitive engine next year.
"I think the big question is the engine," Horner told Motorsport.com. "It is the only bit he misses – that we can't give him the answer to, and that he needs to see for himself how things progress.
"His confidence in the team, the way the team fits his personality, and the freedom that he has, which is so important to get the best out of any individual, is there."
Pushed on whether he was concerned the contract issue could become a distraction, Horner said: "What is annoying about it is that at every grand prix somebody will be asking him. But they should in theory also be asking Valtteri [Bottas], Lewis [Hamilton] and Kimi [Raikkonen]. But it will run its course.
"We are relatively relaxed because we have got some great options available to us. We want people and we want drivers that want to be in the team.
"It doesn't feel right to have to go and force an issue, or to force a decision. Daniel knows what the position of the team is. We want to continue with him.
"The door is open but it won't stay open forever. There will come a point in time that it is: 'okay, it is either get off the fence or we will have to take up own options."
Additional reporting by Jonathan Noble
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Formula 1 delays streaming service rollout
Next article Verstappen fears Melbourne straights "painful" for Red Bull
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Adam Cooper
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
More from
Daniel Ricciardo
Why Daniel Ricciardo would consider a comeback at Le Mans
WEC
WEC
Why Daniel Ricciardo would consider a comeback at Le Mans
Does Daniel Ricciardo regret leaving Red Bull for Renault?
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
Does Daniel Ricciardo regret leaving Red Bull for Renault?
Daniel Ricciardo shares heartfelt message after first Indy 500 visit brought back "childhood feelings"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Barcelona-Catalunya GP
Daniel Ricciardo shares heartfelt message after first Indy 500 visit brought back "childhood feelings"
More from
Red Bull Racing
How Red Bull's crucial strategy call helped Max Verstappen win the "Maxico Grand Prix"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
4 h
How Red Bull's crucial strategy call helped Max Verstappen win the "Maxico Grand Prix"
Isack Hadjar blames himself for George Russell clash that “ruined” his Mexico GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
6 h
Isack Hadjar blames himself for George Russell clash that “ruined” his Mexico GP
Latest news
McLaren to introduce 2027 F1 front wing at Brazil GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
12 min
McLaren to introduce 2027 F1 front wing at Brazil GP
ECR prepares for IR-28 transition with in-house Dynisma DMG-1 simulator
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 29 min
ECR prepares for IR-28 transition with in-house Dynisma DMG-1 simulator
Jacob Abel ‘reevaluating everything’ after solid IMSA endurance campaign, targets 2027 Indy 500 return
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 54 min
Jacob Abel ‘reevaluating everything’ after solid IMSA endurance campaign, targets 2027 Indy 500 return
Why Kalle Rovanpera and Ott Tanak are returning to the WRC
WRC
WRC WRC 1 h
Why Kalle Rovanpera and Ott Tanak are returning to the WRC
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe