McLaren "put money where its mouth is" with Ricciardo
McLaren boss Zak Brown says he "put his money where his mouth is" to woo Daniel Ricciardo to the team for the 2021 Formula 1 season.

Ricciardo signed for McLaren back in May as part of the raft of driver movements sparked by news of Sebastian Vettel's impending Ferrari exit.
It was the second time McLaren tried to sign the Aussie, Brown making no secret that he approached Ricciardo to replace Fernando Alonso for the 2019 season.
Ricciardo decided against a McLaren move at the time, opting to sign a two-year deal with Renault, which had finished two positions higher in the 2018 constructors' standings, instead.
According to Brown it was no great surprise that Ricciardo went elsewhere at the time given the squad's lean run of results.
However he reckons it also helped him get second time lucky with a Ricciardo deal, McLaren's upswing in results proving to the driver that there was nothing hollow about the promises he made in 2018.
"A couple of years ago we were coming off a horrific season, one of our worst in McLaren history," Brown told the In the Fast Lane podcast.
"Really all I could do at that point was promise, or make claims, to Daniel on what my intentions were.
"But at that point it was just words – I'm going to get a great team principal, I'm going to get a great technical director, we're going to get the resources we need, we're going to invest in capex... it was a lot of promises.
"I think, understandingly, he went 'it all sounds good, but you are coming off one of one of the worst seasons in McLaren's history'. Ultimately it didn't get him over the line for those reasons.
"Now instead of saying 'I'm going to get a great team principal' I can say 'I got Andreas Seidl', who's making a huge difference in the team. 'I'm going to get a great technical director', I got one in James Key.
"I think a year on he was able to see I put my money where my mouth is, so to speak, and the results were coming."
While Ricciardo said back in June there was no "one deciding factor" to his decision to leave Renault for McLaren Brown isn't so sure. He feels that hiring ex-Porsche technical guru Seidl played a big part in getting Ricciardo to sign on the dotted line.
"He's a huge Andreas fan, I think that had a big part in his decision-making process," Brown said.
"He says 'Andreas is a monster'. And I think he means that in a good way. I think that's ultimately why he made the decision this time around."
Related video

Previous article
F1 drivers would "love" return to Mugello in 2021
Next article
The other factor that helped make the Tuscan GP exciting

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Drivers | Daniel Ricciardo |
Teams | McLaren |
Author | Andrew van Leeuwen |
McLaren "put money where its mouth is" with Ricciardo
Trending
How Do Drivers Stay Fit For F1 Grand Prix?
Ronnie Peterson and Jochen Rindt Tribute
#ThinkingForward with Juan Pablo Montoya
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says Nigel Roebuck.
Verstappen exclusive: Why lack of titles won't hurt Red Bull's ace
Max Verstappen’s star quality in Formula 1 is clear. Now equipped with a Red Bull car that is, right now, the world title favourite and the experience to support his talent, could 2021 be the Dutchman’s year to topple the dominant force of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Is Formula 1 as good as it has ever been now?
For many, many years Formula 1 has strived to do and to be better on all fronts. With close competition, a growing fanbase, a stable political landscape and rules in place to encourage sustainability, 2021 is on course to provide an unexpected peak
How Williams’ new structure adheres to a growing F1 trend
Williams held out against the tide for many years but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, the age of the owner-manager is long gone
When a journeyman driver's F1 career lasted just 800m
Nikita Mazepin’s Formula 1 debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix lasted mere corners before he wiped himself out in a shunt, but his financial backing affords him a full season. Back in 1993 though, Marco Apicella was an F1 driver for just 800m before a first corner fracas ended his career. Here’s the story of his very short time at motorsport’s pinnacle.
How Raikkonen's rapid rise stalled his teammate's F1 career climb
Kimi Raikkonen's emergence as a Formula 1 star in his rookie campaign remains one of the legendary storylines from 2001, but his exploits had an unwanted impact on his Sauber teammate's own prospects. Twenty years on from his first F1 podium at the Brazilian GP, here's how Nick Heidfeld's career was chilled by the Iceman.
The nightmare timing that now hinders Mercedes
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton took victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix despite, for a change, not having the quickest car. But any hopes of developing its W12 to surpass Red Bull's RB16B in terms of outright speed could not have come at a worse time.
How Verstappen's Bahrain mistake can only make him stronger
Max Verstappen lost out to Lewis Hamilton at the Bahrain Grand Prix by a tiny margin, slipping off the track just as victory was within his grasp. But the painful lesson from defeat can only help Verstappen come back even stronger