McLaren on Thursday announced the signing of Australia's Daniel Ricciardo on a 'multi-year' deal. He will join Britain's Lando Norris, who will be taking part in his third Formula One season in 2021.
"Signing Daniel is another step forward in our long-term plan and will bring an exciting new dimension to the team, alongside Lando. This is good news for our team, partners and of course our fans," Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren F1 team, said.
“I also want to pay tribute to Carlos for the excellent job he has been doing for McLaren in helping our performance recovery plan. He is a real team player and we wish him well for his future beyond McLaren.”
Despite his lack of experience, Lando Norris has shown a cool head under pressure on race day.
Renault has not yet said who will replace Ricciardo next year.
The 30-year-old Australian had a difficult time last season, his first with the French manufacturer after making a surprise move from Red Bull. He managed only one fourth-place finish and placed a lowly ninth in the standings.
But Ricciardo showed strong form during his stint with Red Bull, winning seven races and consistently securing podium finishes.
Among those touted to replace Ricciardo are Nico Hulkenberg, who lost his Renault seat this year to Esteban Ocon, Alonso, and Vettel.
Although Alonso is 38 years old, the Spanish driver won his two world titles with Renault.
(With inputs from AP)
