F1: Prost on Ricciardo’s Future – “We don’t have the cards in our hands”

Even though the 2020 Formula 1 season has not started, the silly season certainly has.

Alain Prost has told French media that it is very possible their Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo could leave the team at the end of the year.

The four-time world champion said:

“Daniel has a contract until the end of 2020. So he is free. We don’t have the cards in our hands. We don’t have an option. Of course we have started to discuss, which is normal.

“Let’s imagine that everything is back to normal in 2021, then we can do the shopping we want until the end of the year.

Alain Prost

Prost’s preference is to keep their current line-up of Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon for 2021 due to the uncertainty with the Formula 2 and Formula 3 seasons.

“We don’t even know what’s going to happen for Formula 2 or Formula 3 or Formula Renault, where there are a lot of drivers in the sector and they can’t drive.

“So if they don’t race, then you can’t see them – you can’t judge them. It is valid for everyone and so the trend in the teams is a little more on the side of status quo.”

Ricciardo joined Renault last year and this season is vital as to whether he will want to stay with the French manufacturer or try and move to another team.

There are very few moves Ricciardo could make according to Prost: “Max Verstappen is completely anchored at Red Bull so I don’t see Daniel going there.

“But with us things are very open, and in any case what is certain is that in a certain way Daniel wants to continue.

He made – not a bet – but let’s say a plan to be successful with Renault and for the moment we are talking in a very positive way.”

Riccardo has also been linked with Ferrari, but suggestion that Sebastian Vettel has been retained on a 1 year contract would close any opportunity for the Australian.