Australian F1 star Daniel Ricciardo is odds on to race at this year’s Bathurst 1000.
Daniel Ricciardo could finally get a stint racing in the Supercars championship at this year’s Bathurst 1000 thanks to his latest move to new team McLaren F1.
Having recently formalised his contract to move from his current Renault F1 team to compete with the British-based F1 outfit for the 2021 season, Ricciardo is now in line to get a wildcard entry into the Bathurst 1000 this year.
Riccardo’s new boss at McLaren, veteran racing manager Zak Brown, bought into Supercars team Walkinshaw Racing with Andretti Autosport in 2018 as a co-owner. And now, Brown has already said in an interview with the Fox Sports show Supercars Sidetracked, “For sure, they’ll [Ricciardo and new teammate Lando Norris] get a go in my Holden.”
“I think people now know I’m a little bit different than most of the team bosses in F1 as I like to see our drivers go out and give it a go at Daytona or Le Mans, things of that nature,” he said.
“I think it’ll just come down to schedule and whether they can fit it in the schedule.
“I’d love to see them do it there.”
The F1’s schedule this year will be key, as traditionally the Bathurst 1000 is held on the same race weekend in October as the Japanese Grand Prix. However, with F1 rescheduling its 2020 calendar with multiple repeat races in Europe because of coronavirus delays, Ricciardo’s Supercars opportunity might finally come.
Australian betting agency Sportsbet has also backed Ricciardo to compete in the Bathurst 1000, paying $1.70 for the 30-yeard-old racing champ to start on the grid at this year’s Bathurst 1000, and $2.10 not to compete.
“Daniel’s impending move to McLaren is already proving a winner, with his boss giving the green light for Bathurst. We’d love to see him on the podium, but gee he might think twice about downing a shoey as Bathurst is about four hours longer than a GP,’’ said Sportsbet’s Rich Hummerston.
Ricciardo has already had a steer of a Supercar when he drove Rick Kelly’s Castrol Nissan Supercar at Calder Park in Melbourne last year.
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Aaaand, what about the team he’s still signed to this year? Stoopid article
Any high profile driver is welcome in Bathurst 1000 to further promote its standing as one of the premier motor racing events in the world