Daniel pins his title hopes on McLaren move

Motorsport

DANIEL Ricciardo has declared his move to McLaren next year the one he needs to “make stick” if he is to achieve his dream of winning a Formula One world title.

While the 31-year-old predicted he still had “at least a good five years left”, he said his next move was critical if he was to become a challenger.

Ricciardo will join McLaren in 2021, his third team in four years after two seasons with Renault following his shock departure from Red Bull.

Former world champion Jenson Button has described Ricciardo’s move as “make or break” for his career. Ricciardo said he had a lot riding on his next career move. “It’s going to have more of an impact on that for sure,” he said of the move on his championship ambitions.

“Certainly the way I am driving this year, I feel there is still at least a good five years left in me, so there potentially is something else after this.

“But this is the move that I want to make stick for sure and want to have that success with.

“Obviously jumping around — yes, it has been my choice to move around a bit the last few years — but it’s certainly a bit more difficult on everyone.

“But I am really putting in everything into McLaren and hoping that they can give me that title that they are after.”

Ricciardo’s move will coincide with changes to the sport he hoped would “tighten up” the field to help bolster McLaren’s prospects after years of Mercedes dominance.

There will be a spending cap before technical regulations come into play from 2022.

Announcing a new partnership with Optus, Ricciardo was optimistic the on-track battle could “open up” for everyone.

“That’s what we are all expecting and hoping,” he said. “It has to tighten up. “Even this year, a lot of the races some journalists are calling it Formula 1.5 — the race after Mercedes and it’s been awesome to battle with the midfield, it’s so tight.”

In his second season at Renault, he sits seventh in the championship after his fourth in the Tuscan Grand Prix.