Daniel Ricciardo will quit McLaren at the end of the season

• McLaren confirm Daniel Ricciardo will leave the team at the end of the season.
• The Australian driver won the Italian Grand Prix for McLaren last year.

Daniel Ricciardo, an Australian driver, will leave McLaren at the end of the season, a year before his contract says he has to. The Formula One team announced on Wednesday that both sides agreed to this.

The 33-year-old said he will leave “proud of the effort and work I gave McLaren.”

Ricciardo has won eight races in his career. He won the Italian Grand Prix for McLaren last year.

He hasn’t gotten as much attention as his teammate Lando Norris. Ricciardo has 19 points, while the English driver has 76.

Norris was sixth in the championship last year with 160 points, and Ricciardo was eighth with 115 points.

“It’s been a privilege to be a part of the McLaren Racing family for the last two seasons,” said Ricciardo in a statement issued by the team.

“Following several months of discussions with Zak (Brown the CEO) & Andreas (Seidl the team principal) we have decided to terminate my contract with the team early and agree to mutually part ways at the end of this season.

“I’ll be announcing my own future plans in due course but regardless of what this next chapter brings, I have no regrets and am proud of the effort and work I gave McLaren, especially the win in Monza, last season.”

Seidl paid tribute to Ricciardo’s positive attitude.

“Despite the shared challenges, he has always turned up with a fighting spirit and positivity and helped the entire team to always keep pushing forward,” said Seidl.

“We will never forget that memorable race win in Monza which was a great boost for the whole team.”

Brown said that working with Ricciardo had been a pleasure.

“It’s no secret that we hoped we could achieve more together,” said Brown.

“But seeing him stand on the top step of the podium as a McLaren driver was a highlight.

“We wish him well for the future and let’s go enjoy the rest of the season together.”

This weekend, at the Belgian Grand Prix, Ricciardo and Norris will be back on the track.

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