Daniel Ricciardo reportedly has been offered A$20M per year from McLaren.GETTY IMAGES
Daniel Ricciardo could become one of the highest-paid Formula 1 drivers if he "accepts a reported monster offer" to leave Red Bull, according to Oliver Caffrey of the AAP. German media outlet Sports Bild reported a A$20M ($14.8M)-per-year deal "is on the table" from McLaren for the Australian driver, which would "more than triple his current salary." Red Bull F1 Dir Helmut Marko knows the 28-year-old, who is "off-contract at the end of the season, is in high demand." Marko: "Our Daniel Ricciardo is the king of the market. McLaren offers him more every week." While the cash has "reportedly been thrown around by McLaren," Marko believes Ricciardo is "more likely to switch to a higher-profile team" like Ferrari or Mercedes. Marko said that Ricciardo is waiting for four-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton to "make a call on his future with Mercedes." Marko: "Ricciardo doesn't want to sign until Hamilton has signed" (AAP, 6/21).
MCLAREN SPEAKS OUT: SKY SPORTS reported McLaren described former Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh's comments about it as "ill-judged and ill-informed." Whitmarsh was quoted by the London Daily Mail saying that McLaren "needs a big change of approach" and that some leading figures "have to go" amid a "podium drought." A McLaren spokesperson said, "Martin worked for McLaren for many years, but has been outside the business for some time and is not part of our future. What he said was ill-judged and ill-informed in our view but he is entitled to his opinion" (SKY SPORTS, 6/21).
