Daniel Ricciardo says the timing of the announcement that Lewis Hamilton will be a part of Ferrari in 2025 was a much bigger shock than the transfer itself.
Hamilton exercised a break clause in his contract to permit him to take up a proposal from Ferrari subsequent 12 months, with each groups confirming the deal at the beginning of February, one month earlier than the newest season will get underway. Driver strikes are usually solidified and introduced in the summertime and repeatedly after the August break, and Ricciardo stated the actual fact it has been finalized so early was sudden.
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“Not stunned within the sense that, may I’ve ever seen him in pink? Sure,” Ricciardo informed RACER. “I may see in his profession and the legacy piece and all of that, after all. And clearly, it’s a great workforce, so he’s obtained an opportunity of profitable there, for positive.
“However I used to be simply extra thrown by the timing. I believe. Clearly I don’t know the inner stuff that goes on there, so clearly there’s the explanation why it obtained introduced as early because it did. However that half was what threw me greater than him going to Ferrari.”
Though it leaves Mercedes going into a brand new season with a driver that it already is aware of is leaving on the finish of the 12 months, Ricciardo believes there’s a profit for the workforce as it could assess all of its choices with loads of time to decide.
“I take a look at Mercedes now, they’ve obtained an entire 12 months to determine what they’re going to do,” he stated. “And I assume of their place, they’re in no rush. So that they’ll assess everybody, how they’re doing, the motive force market, no matter. So I suppose for somebody like them, it’s most likely a great place to be in.”
The Australian insists he’d quite not be caught up in rumors about his personal future all through the season, regardless of a possible opening at Purple Bull subsequent 12 months alongside the Mercedes emptiness.
“I’m under no circumstances trying that far forward,” he stated. “On this a part of my profession, I believe trying far forward type of appears like one 12 months nearer to the tip. So it’s extra purpose for me to be current now and positively take it race by race.
“So yeah, foolish season, a part of me can be pleased to not be in all these loopy issues, particularly this early within the season. So if the foolish season occurs with out me, I’m additionally OK with that proper now!”
