Daniel Ricciardo Says He Was In Talks With Ferrari Years Before Opting For McLaren

Was Daniel Ricciardo Ferrari's original choice to partner with LeClerc in 2021 following Sebastian Vettel’s exit.

The Australian driver has admitted that he has had talks with Ferrari about joining the team. He even revealed discussions concerning a potential move that was to happen a few years ago.

There was a surge of driver market news in May after Ferrari announced Vettel had plans to leave the team at the end of the year.

The speculation over his successor increased and Ricciardo was tipped as the main option, before Carlos Sainz was announced as the one to take the position. Ricciardo moved to McLaren.

According to Formula 1 news site, Ricciardo’s father was born in Italy, and the driver explained he tried not to think about the cultural links with the team.

There were a lot of people who claimed it would be a good fit considering his name and background.

Ricciardo said he did not have any hard feelings for Ferrari’s decision to sign up Sainz. He added that he understood the reason why the Spaniard was offered the seat.

He could see how Sainz was the best option for the team. Sainz was a hot favorite after a strong season in 2019.

Ricciardo had been in talks earlier with McLaren over a 2019 seat before he decided to go for the two year deal at Renault.

When contemplating McLaren's offer this time, Ricciardo stated there was nothing that triggered the decision to quit Renault and sign a contract with the British team.