Australian racing hero Daniel Ricciardo is likely to be drinking out of a blue and orange shoe next season.
Ferrari F1 has confirmed Sebastian Vettel will leave the team at the end of this year, but while reports suggest Aussie racer Daniel Ricciardo is likely to replace the German driver, bookmakers are putting their money on Ricciardo heading to team McLaren.
Ferrari announced yesterday that the four-time world champ was leaving, and given the team had already been in discussions with Renault’s driver Ricciardo for at least 12 months about a potential future seat in the red car, rumours began swirling. But reports from Europe are already suggesting that the Spanish-born Sainz will be confirmed for Ferrari soon.
Sainz finished ‘best of the rest’ last season in his McLaren, including a maiden podium finish in the final race at the Brazilian Grand Prix. But unlike 30-year-old Ricciardo which would be looking to sit as an equal number-one driver alongside Ferrari’s fresh Charles Leclerc superstar driver, the 25-year-old Sainz will fit straight in as a talented number 2 at the Italian team.
The logical conclusion and strong rumours circulating among F1 paddock regulars – which is currently waiting out coronavirus before the 2020 season starts – has seen bookmakers such as Sportsbet bank on Sainz as the number one pick for the Italian team. It also puts Ricciardo likely to replace Sainz at McLaren, with Riccardo odds on, paying $2.00 to be signed into the British F1 team compared to $3.50 for a Ferrari seat.
Renault, the French team which signed the Australian out of his Red Bull seat for two seasons and at a cost of tens of millions of dollars, is also in contention to re-sign Ricciardo, but at far higher odds given the move didn’t bring Renault any closer to a championship.
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Daniel was looking for a team where he was going to be the number one and not the defender of Leclerc. He took the correct decision!