Daniel Ricciardo simply wanted too much money to stay on the Formula 1 grid this year, according to Haas boss Gunther Steiner. After two disappointing years with McLaren, former Red Bull race winner Ricciardo – now 33 – was ousted. “I don’t know, ask him,” Steiner said last season when asked why brief talks with Ricciardo broke down. Ricciardo even said the Williams seat was “potentially available” for 2023, but ultimately preferred the current plan which is better for his “long term” future. But yet another potential narrative is that McLaren would not have contractually had to pay out the final year in Ricciardo’s multi-million dollar salary if he had accepted an alternative race seat for 2023.

Follow MotorMouth on social media:

• 
• 
• 
•