Ricciardo is warned: 'Contract in Formula 1 doesn't mean much'

Daniel Ricciardo is struggling at McLaren. Expectations were high regarding the Australian when he made the switch from Renault in early 2021. The 32-year-old driver is not convincing at the moment and is a lot slower than teammate Lando Norris. Alan Jones does not exclude that Ricciardo could leave the Woking based racing team.

The one time World Champion called Ricciardo's future "questionable". The Perth-based driver still has a contract until next year at his team, but CEO Zak Brown stated that McLaren has certain mechanisms that allow it to tear up the commitment early.

In conversation with The Herald Sun Jones let it be known that he considers such a scenario realistic. "A contract in Formula 1 doesn't mean much. If the situation remains the same as it is, I have no doubt in my mind they will exercise one of those options that are in the contract."

From the in-house junior programme, there is no one ready to replace Ricciardo and so it seems that they will have to look at other teams. It is possible that Pierre Gasly could come into the picture.

Ricciardo too nice?

Ricciardo is known in the pinnacle of motorsport as an incredibly good guy, but according to compatriot Jones, that may now work against him. "He is a great little race driver and he is a hell of a nice guy. But, of course, we all know nice guys don’t get anywhere, particularly in Formula 1. The bigger d*ck you are, the better off you are – there are a few out there at the moment that have proved that.”

Jones is not the only world champion who thinks Ricciardo's last hour may have beaten at McLaren. After the Monaco Grand Prix, Jacques Villeneuve also hinted that Ricciardo's time at the Woking-based team is over as far as he is concerned.