Ricciardo states his commitment: who will drive for McLaren in 2023?

F1

Daniel Ricciardo has reiterated his desire to be at McLaren next year, but there are plenty of other contenders for his F1 seat

Daniel-Ricciardo-sits-in-his-McLaren-F1-car-at-the-2022-Austrian-GP

Ricciardo has struggled to find qualifying pace, having a knock-on effect on his starting position and race results

McLaren

The Formula 1 silly season looks set to fill the void created by the championship’s summer break, but one question looms larger than most: just who will be driving for McLaren in 2023?

Daniel Ricciardo is officially signed up to partner Lando Norris for 2023, but after a shockingly poor 2022 season so far, McLaren boss Zak Brown has admitted there are performance-related “mechanisms” which could see the Australian removed from his seat.

After almost-constant questioning on his future at F1 press conferences, Ricciardo has released a social media statement reaffirming his “commitment” to being at the team next year. However committed he might be though, that doesn’t necessarily assure him of a berth in the world championship.

Zak Brown has set about expanding the famous marque’s racing empire since he took over as CEO, and with that come seats which need filling – the Woking brand now has teams in F1, IndyCar, Formula E and Extreme E.

McLaren has an ever increasing driver roster, the team could yet stick with Ricciardo for 2023, or pick from and several other high-calibre candidates:

 

Daniel Ricciardo

Despite taking a shock win in Monza last year, there isn’t really a way of sugar-coating it – Daniel Ricciardo’s time at McLaren has been nothing short of a disaster.

Although the Australian regularly scored points last year, he was comprehensively outperformed by his team-mate Lando Norris, who could have potentially taken three wins last season if circumstances played out differently.

In 2022, things have only got worse: whilst the 22-year-old Norris is seventh in the championship after taking points eight times in 11 races, Ricciardo sits in a lowly 12th after finishing in the top 10 just three times.

Ricciardo has often looked like a beaten man at various points this year, and subsequently the rumours about him being replaced have only ramped up with McLaren needing a driver who can join Norris in supporting its constructors’ championship battle.

However, the Perth-native does have one advantage over all the others vying for his seat – but for claiming a title, he’s done it all before in F1, winning races and regularly battling at the front during his time at Red Bull.

McLaren could yet see this experience as too vital to discard, and use it as reason to maintain its faith in him for at least another season.

Alternatively the driver might fancy a fresh start in another championship with McLaren: the gung-ho nature of IndyCar could suit the Australian’s gregarious nature.

 

Colton Herta

IndyCar driver Colton Herta

Herta has emerged as a front-runner for the McLaren seat

IndyCar

Colton Herta announced himself to the motor sport world by taking a stunning IndyCar victory in only his third start in the series in 2019, and has since become one the most prominent young names in US racing.

As a result, many have touted him as America’s next F1 driver, and after McLaren signed him to a driver development programme it looked like this might become a reality.

For the previous two years McLaren IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward was thought to be the next driver to make the US-F1 switch, but now Herta has emerged as a front-runner.

The latter has recently tested a year-old McLaren for two days at Portimao, but both are likely to drive for McLaren this year as part of the required quota of practice session slots F1 teams now have to give to young drivers.

 

Pato O’Ward

oward lead

Is O’Ward ready to make the F1 switch?

IndyCar

Live-wire personality O’Ward quickly became an IndyCar fan favourite, after being instantly competitive in his first full year in the series in 2020 whilst driving for McLaren.

Claiming fourth that season, the Mexican took his first two IndyCar wins to finish third the next year – thus receiving a reward he was promised in a bet he made with Zak Brown on taking his first victory.

The prize was a test for the McLaren F1 in Abu Dhabi at the end of the year, which the young Mexican described as “insane”.

Since then though, things haven’t exactly gone to plan, as apparent wrangling over a new contract struck a slightly sour note between the two camps.

Although the matter was resolved with a new deal, O’Ward seems to have been distanced from a shot at F1, but with the Mexican still performing highly in IndyCar, he can’t be discounted just yet.

 

Alex Palou

Alex Palou takes a selfie with Dario Franchitti

Chip Ganassi’s Alex Palou, here with Franchitti at Long Beach, was the top IndyCar driver in 2021 among a field of serious young talent

Will Lester/Getty Images

Continuing an American theme, the motor sport world was recently stunned by a new hat being thrown in the ring for a future McLaren F1 seat: reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou.

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Part of IndyCar’s new young-gun set along with Herta and O’Ward, the Spaniard came to the US via the relatively obscure route of the Japanese Super Formula Series, but has since taken IndyCar by storm.

After a solid rookie year at Dale Coyne Racing, Chip Ganassi opted to take a punt on the Spaniard, and was richly rewarded: Palou won last year’s IndyCar title in just his second season, looking already like an experienced, assured pro.

With the Spaniard initially being signed on a two-year deal with an option, rumours persisted that Palou could be off elsewhere for 2023, the main suitor being McLaren.

On July 12, all hell broke loose: Ganassi put out a press release announcing it had signed up Palou for 2023, which the Spaniard then rejected, saying via social media that the team had fabricated a quote from him endorsing the extension.

Hours later, McLaren then released a statement saying it had in fact signed Palou, but this only confirmed him as part of its roster, not specifically to its IndyCar team.

Included in the deal – if it goes ahead – will be the testing of an old McLaren car, similar to Herta, and potential FP appearances also, with Palou having an apparent desire to make it to F1.

With the reigning IndyCar champion’s future looking yet to be set in stone, expect this story to go some distance yet.

 

Oscar Piastri

PIASTRI Oscar (aus), Reserve Driver of Alpine F1 Team, portrait during the Formula 1 Pirelli Grand Premio de Espana 2022, 6th round of the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship, on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, from May 20 to 22, 2022 in Montmelo, Spain - Photo Xavi Bonilla / DPPI

The brilliant Oscar Piastri is on the sidelines in 2022

Xavi Bonilla / DPPI

One of motor sport’s hottest properties, Oscar Piastri is in the bizarre situation of being regarded as perhaps the most promising new racing driver in a generation, but being without a race seat.

This comes mainly in part to the bottleneck created by a limited number of F1 seats and drivers such as his Alpine colleague Fernando Alonso going longer and longer in their careers.

As a result, the Enstone junior – the current reigning F2 champion – is sitting on the sidelines as its reserve driver.

With Esteban Ocon in the first season of a three-year deal with Alpine (after his initially one-year contract) and Alonso looking likely to carry on next year, chances are looking slim for Piastri – unless McLaren has a berth.

The Australian joined the Woking team’s pool of reserve drivers for 2022, and is thought to be one of the potential options to replace Ricciardo.

As well as his undoubted ability, Piastri’s experience of the European racing ladder makes him an attractive option potentially over his IndyCar rivals should McLaren consider him.

 

Pierre Gasly

Pierre Gasly sits on the Monza podium

Gasly’s drive after Red Bull demotion took him to the top step in Monza

Grand Prix Photo

Although Gasly was recently announced as continuing at AlphaTauri for 2023, rumours persist that he could still be a viable choice for McLaren next year.

Since being dropped by Red Bull in 2019 and demoted back to its junior squad, the Frenchman has impressed many with his mental strength and on-track performances.

This culminated with a win at the 2020 Italian GP for AlphaTauri, cementing Gasly’s reputation as one of the fastest drivers on the grid.

With Red Bull opting to extend Sergio Perez’s contract for another two years, there looks to be no room at the Milton Keynes inn.

Gasly might consider McLaren as offering more career progression, and could yet be lured away from Faenza.

 

Alex Albon

Williams driver Alex Albon at the 2022 Austrian GP

Albon: fast gaining admirers

Williams

Currently undergoing his own Gasly-style redemption story, Albon is currently rebuilding his reputation after being dropped by the Red Bull team also.

Placed at Williams for 2022, the Thai driver has impressed, easily outperforming longtime Grove incumbent Nicholas Latifi and scoring points for the team twice.

As a result, Albon is now being touted too as possible replacement for Ricciardo.