Ricciardo: "Talks with Ferrari have continued up until now"

Daniel Ricciardo has said in an interview that he has spoken with Ferrari about a possible deal. The Australian also says that these talks had already started several years ago.

In May, Formula 1 went crazy around the transfers. Shortly after Sebastian Vettel announced to leave Ferrari after 2020, the team already announced that Carlos Sainz would be his successor from 2021. This meant that McLaren had a spot left and they attracted Ricciardo.

Ricciardo admits in an interview with CNN that until just before the announcement of Sainz he was competing for the seat at the Scuderia. "There have been discussions already from a few years back. And that continued all the way through to now, so yeah, I won't deny that. But obviously it's never really come to fruition", said the Renault driver.

"Everyone says it would be a good fit, obviously, with my name and all the background stuff, but yeah, I try not to get emotionally caught up in any kind of situation", says Ricciardo. Ricciardo's father was born in Italy.

Ricciardo understands the choice of Ferrari to choose Sainz alongside Charles Leclerc. "I see how Carlos is a fit for the team. So I don't really look at it like 'why not me?' I just look at it: Yeah, Carlos had a very strong 2019. Yeah, he's a bit of hot property right now, and I guess it's a good fit for where they are at", he concludes.