F1 | McLaren, Ricciardo would ask for a severance payment of 21 million dollars

Daniel Ricciardo, effectively disheartened by McLaren who are planning to replace him as early as 2023 with Oscar Piastri, evidently affected in his pride (and his wallet) would have decided to make life rather difficult for McLaren. The Australian driver, with a contract expiring in 2023, apparently does not want to give up his compensation, asking for a "severance payment" of 21 million dollars for the early termination of his contract with Woking, therefore equal to the year's salary that he is entitled to.

As the Australian site writes Speedcafe.com in Ricciardo's contract there would be no right of withdrawal in favor of the team, and therefore Zak Brown could not break the contractual bond with Ricciardo by paying only the classic "penalty".

The Australian driver would therefore have the upper hand, with McLaren who, between legal disputes with Alpine over Piastri's contract and Ricciardo's money, could pay a high price for choosing to bet heavily on the outgoing Formula 2 champion. The only solution for a painless exit for Ricciardo it would be the hiring of the Australian by another team.

In that case it would be better for the same driver to dissolve the agreement with McLaren by mutual consent and who knows whether Woking and Alpine might sit down at a table to find a solution to their problems, perhaps with Ricciardo "turned" to Enstone and Piastri to McLaren.