McLaren have reportedly informed Daniel Ricciardo that they plan to replace him with Oscar Piastri next season, according to Autosport. The Australian driver is expected to be moved aside after a disappointing stint, with the team seeking a settlement to terminate his contract a year early. Piastri, currently a reserve driver at Alpine, has been linked to a reserve deal with McLaren for 2023, with an upgrade to a race seat once Ricciardo's exit is finalised.
Ricciardo, who drove for Alpine's predecessor Renault in 2019 and 2020, is reportedly a contender to return to the team. He is said to be keen to stay in Formula 1 and has no desire to move into McLaren's Formula E team. Meanwhile, McLaren are confident they have a legal claim to Piastri, despite Alpine's announcement that they have a contract with the 21-year-old for next year.
In other F1 news, Lewis Hamilton has joined the ownership group of the Denver Broncos, the NFL franchise being acquired by the Walton-Penner family for $4.65bn. The seven-time world champion expressed his excitement on Twitter, saying he is 'honoured to work with a world class team'. The deal requires approval from NFL owners next week.
Fernando Alonso has completed a shock move to Aston Martin, replacing the retiring Sebastian Vettel. The double world champion, who will stay on the grid beyond his 43rd birthday, said he still has the 'hunger and ambition' to win again. His multi-season deal is a major coup for the British team.
Charles Leclerc has admitted that his rivalry with Max Verstappen may lead him to take more risks as he tries to close the 80-point gap in the drivers' standings. After a disastrous few weeks, the Ferrari driver crashed out of the French Grand Prix while leading and finished sixth in Hungary, while Verstappen won both races.
