14/05/2020
NEWS STORY
McLaren Racing announced today that it has signed Daniel Ricciardo to a multi-year agreement to race for the team in the Formula One World Championship from 2021.
Ricciardo will join Lando Norris, 20, who will start his third season at McLaren in 2021. Carlos Sainz will leave the team at the end of the 2020 season after two years with McLaren.
"Signing Daniel is another step forward in our long-term plan," said Zak Brown, "and will bring an exciting new dimension to the team, alongside Lando. This is good news for our team, partners and of course our fans.
"I also want to pay tribute to Carlos for the excellent job he has been doing for McLaren in helping our performance recovery plan. He is a real team player and we wish him well for his future beyond McLaren."
"Daniel is a proven race-winner," added Andreas Seidl, "and his experience, commitment and energy will be a valuable addition to McLaren and our mission to return to the front of the field. With Daniel and Lando as teammates, I believe we have two racers who will continue to excite our fans and help the team grow.
"Carlos is a true professional, a pleasure to work with and we will continue to enjoy going racing with him this year. We all wish him good luck for the next stage in his career when he leaves McLaren."
"In our sport, and particularly within the current extraordinary situation, reciprocated confidence, unity and commitment are, more than ever, critical values for a works team," said Renault team boss, Cyril Abiteboul, as the French team confirmed that discussions held with Ricciardo concerning a renewal of his contract had not been successful.
"I am confident that the 2020 season will allow us to accomplish even more together," he added. "Our ambitions and the strategy of Renault DP World F1 Team remain unchanged."