McLaren failed to get the most out of Daniel Ricciardo whose talents will ultimately shine through, says former teammate and four-times Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel.
The German told reporters at Spa-Francorchamps he was sad to see the Australian lose his seat at the end of the season after the split was announced on Wednesday.
The move leaves Ricciardo, who beat then-reigning champion Vettel in their first year as Red Bull team mates in 2014, looking for a drive for 2023.
“I think it’s a very, very difficult situation to be in,” Vettel, who was left without a drive after losing his Ferrari seat in 2020 before signing for Aston Martin, told reporters at the Belgian Grand Prix.
“I had the pleasure to race against him and the not-so-pleasurable side of getting beaten by him years ago. I don’t know the details, but I guess McLaren failed to extract the potential that he has.
“I’m sure that ultimately the talent he has and the qualities he has will shine through,” predicted Vettel.
Ricciardo earned McLaren their first win since 2012 at last year’s Italian Grand Prix, a one-two with teammate Lando Norris.
The eight-times grand prix winner, who has twice finished third in the overall standings, has largely struggled for results since moving from Renault (now Alpine) at the end of 2020. He has also been outpaced by Norris, who has a long-term deal.
McLaren, who are widely expected to replace Ricciardo with compatriot Oscar Piastri, have failed to produce a car capable of consistently fighting at the front.
Mercedes seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton also showed support for Ricciardo and echoed Vettel: “Really unfortunate for Daniel. I still think he deserves a place here in the sport so I really hope there’s somewhere great for him because he’s still got lots to achieve.” (Reporting By Alan Baldwin)