Breaking news
Formula 1
Ricciardo sets new contract deadline after delay
Daniel Ricciardo has set a new deadline for confirming his contract extension with the Red Bull Formula 1 team after initially expecting to sign before the summer break.
Scott Mitchell
Edited: Aug 1, 2018, 8:48 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Ricciardo had said he hoped to have his future sorted before the summer break, while Red Bull intimated a deal was close back at the end of June.
However, with Ricciardo completing his pre-summer duties on day one of F1’s post-Hungarian GP test, he will head into his holidays without an announcement being made.
The Australian is now “definitely” expecting that to happen in August, either before or during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend at the end of the month.
Asked by Motorsport.com if something had complicated what looked like a simple renewal, Ricciardo laughed and said: “Did it look simple? I was just making it up so you guys would stop asking me.”
He added: “It will definitely be done by Spa. Whether it gets announced over the summer break or in Spa [I don’t know].
“[It’s] just a little bit of fine-tuning here and there. It’s all good. You’ll hear something soon, I’m sure.”
Ricciardo’s teammate Max Verstappen signed a lucrative new deal towards the end of last year, but it was Ricciardo who led Red Bull’s charge in the early stages of this season.
The winner of this year’s Chinese and Monaco Grands Prix had contemplated a move away from Red Bull when his contract expires at the end of the year.
However, despite those early victories it became clear that Mercedes and Ferrari, the only frontrunning teams besides Red Bull, were not realistic options for the 29-year-old.
That meant progress accelerated in the talks between Ricciardo and Red Bull over a new deal, and although it has not been completed in the timeframe expected initially, it remains a formality.
The fresh deal is likely to be for two years to put Ricciardo in line with the other frontrunners, given F1 is preparing for a major rules overhaul for 2021.
A two-year contract would take Ricciardo’s spell with Red Bull to seven seasons.
He has won seven races in four-and-a-half years with the senior team, having bested Sebastian Vettel in his first Red Bull campaign and matched Verstappen’s victory tally in their time together.
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 Latest F1 tech updates in post-Hungarian GP testing
Next article Raikkonen tops second morning of F1 test
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
More from
Daniel Ricciardo
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"
Lando Norris reunites with Daniel Ricciardo for Indy 500 celebrations after disastrous Canadian GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
Canadian GP
Lando Norris reunites with Daniel Ricciardo for Indy 500 celebrations after disastrous Canadian GP
Daniel Ricciardo says life feels "more real" after abrupt F1 exit
Formula 1
Formula 1
Canadian GP
Daniel Ricciardo says life feels "more real" after abrupt F1 exit
More from
Red Bull Racing
Why Isack Hadjar doesn’t like F1 sprints anymore
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
9 h
Why Isack Hadjar doesn’t like F1 sprints anymore
Christian Horner: Kimi Antonelli has 'earned' the right to be Mercedes' number one
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
14 h
Christian Horner: Kimi Antonelli has 'earned' the right to be Mercedes' number one
Latest news
Zane Smith fined $50,000 by NASCAR for ramming Carson Hocevar after Phoenix Cup race
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
4 h
Zane Smith fined $50,000 by NASCAR for ramming Carson Hocevar after Phoenix Cup race
FIA expects F1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to continue as planned
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
8 h
FIA expects F1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to continue as planned
TDS Racing doubles down on IMSA program with two-car LMP2 return
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 8 h
TDS Racing doubles down on IMSA program with two-car LMP2 return
Why Isack Hadjar doesn’t like F1 sprints anymore
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
9 h
Why Isack Hadjar doesn’t like F1 sprints anymore
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