Ground Effect wrote: ↑11 Aug 2022, 02:54
ringo wrote: ↑11 Aug 2022, 01:42
They may not take Ricciardo.
Mclaren would have to pay him 21 million to not drive next year.
If he does drive and get a salary, then he would have to give back/ or leave Mclaren the difference.
I think Alpine will refrain from taking back Ricciardo just to spite Mclaren. If they take him it will make things look good for Mclaren.
They will just take someone else. Shumacher is an option. Ferrari isnt impressed with Mick.
I don’t know if Alpine have the luxury of spiting McLaren, or should even go down that route. Schumacher hasn’t impressed Ferrari, but Alpine should take him, as a replacement for Fernando? Is he good enough for Alpines’s ambitions to lead the midfield and get closer to the top 3? Alpine need to put the best available driver in their car, whoever it is, that’s what they should concentrate on, not spiting McLaren. Besides, all these speculations about how much McLaren would need to pay and the mechanism being published by journalists is likely guess work. Nobody really knows the state of play, how did they arrive at that figure?
Ricciardo is washed up. He's not on Alonso's level. And even Alonso himself cannot work magic to take the car beyond where it is. Hence his lack of podiums this year, or even lack of P-4's. He is in no man's land and Lando is still getting the better of him. So I think it doesn't matter how great the driver is. Once the car is better an average driver with experience should be good enough to put it where it belongs.
Newey once said his ideal driver is a 40kg sack of potatoes. Basically build a very good car and a driver can give the performance.
Gasly is a better bet than Ricciardo. I am sure he is faster over a lap at the moment. Mick is improving a lot, and seems to be quick over a lap; now that he is used to the car.
Hate to say it but Ricciardo may be sitting out for a year, or driving a Williams. And he doesn't have enough money to pay Williams for a seat, unless he brings some big sponsors.