Lauda throws Ricciardo under the bus

[Sam993]

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ricciardo-using-hami...

If I was Ricciardo I doubt I'd want to be associated with Merc after this which leaves him with Ferrari who now know that he has no choice and can exploit it. Very nasty of mr Lauda.

[Dynamic Space Wizard]

Sam993 said:

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ricciardo-using-hami...

If I was Ricciardo I doubt I'd want to be associated with Merc after this which leaves him with Ferrari who now know that he has no choice and can exploit it. Very nasty of mr Lauda.

What is supposed to have happened? The article doesn't really mention anything.

[Sam993]

Ricciardo waits(ed) for Hamilton to sign (or not) with Merc before not committing (committing) to another contract with RB. Lauda had a chat with his fellow Austrian dr Marko and came up with this "he's blackmailing you, he wouldn't get what Hamilton gets anyway" statement. That's very fked up IMHO.

[thegreenhell]

Isn't this just normal contract negotiation (F1 style)? Keep your options open for as long as possible and use those other options as leverage against each other. It's not 'blackmail', and I suspect that's either sloppy translation from the original conversation, or Lauda just playing up to the press (again).

[Sam993]

thegreenhell said:

Isn't this just normal contract negotiation (F1 style)? Keep your options open for as long as possible and use those other options as leverage against each other. It's not 'blackmail', and I suspect that's either sloppy translation from the original conversation, or Lauda just playing up to the press (again).

If he (Lauda) met with Marko then that is not normal contract negotiations. I doubt that would be considered legal in business world since they are fixing the market by doing this. Lauda as good of a driver he was and he's knowledge is amazing he quite often comes across as a bit of a <blank blank> .

[NAS]

You do know that Marko & Lauda have known each other for decades? And may share a similar view of the world and -perhaps- humor?

(and that Ricciardo will be aware of this too?)

[Sam993]

NAS said:

You do know that Marko & Lauda have known each other for decades? And may share a similar view of the world and -perhaps- humor?

That doesn't make it in any way better (it makes it worse in fact). Or relevant.

[Europa1]

Sam993 said:

If he (Lauda) met with Marko then that is not normal contract negotiations. I doubt that would be considered legal in business world since they are fixing the market by doing this. Lauda as good of a driver he was and he's knowledge is amazing he quite often comes across as a bit of a <blank blank> .

Formula One is very much part of the business world. I'm struggling to see how Messrs Lauda and Marko are "fixing the market", or how Lauda is throwing Riccardio under a bus. Marko was the one who said Riccardio wouldn't re-sign with Red Bull until Hamilton re-signed with Mercedes.

[Derek Smith]

There's always the possibility that LH has signed and Merc are merely delaying the announcement to destabilise RB.

Or they have used the term blackmail to pressurise LH?

[NAS]

Sam993 said:

NAS said:

You do know that Marko & Lauda have known each other for decades? And may share a similar view of the world and -perhaps- humor?

That doesn't make it in any way better (it makes it worse in fact). Or relevant.

it is relevant. It sounds like are (half-)joking to be honest. And half playing tactics naturally. Ricciardo should and will know this and will not let this affect him.

[SmoothCriminal]

Riccardo is playing a stupid game.

Merc won't have him with Lewis there.
Vettel won't have him at Ferrari.

He can't even do an Alonso.

He has no where else apart from red bull.

Red bull should call his bluff.

[Mr Pointy]

Sam993 said:

If he (Lauda) met with Marko then that is not normal contract negotiations. I doubt that would be considered legal in business world since they are fixing the market by doing this. Lauda as good of a driver he was and he's knowledge is amazing he quite often comes across as a bit of a <blank blank> .

You make it sound as if they met up ia dodgy backstreet cafe in a little out of the way town somewhere. You do realise they were at a public event talikng to journalists?

Or are you just trolling?

[anonymous-user]

SmoothCriminal said:

Riccardo is playing a stupid game.

Merc won't have him with Lewis there.
Vettel won't have him at Ferrari.

He can't even do an Alonso.

He has no where else apart from red bull.

Red bull should call his bluff.

Why is Ricciardo playing a stupid game?

You could say the same about Hamilton not having signed with Mercedes yet.

If Mercedes signed Lewis and Bottas that would put an end to the Mercedes rumours.

But I am sure many teams, whatever they say publicly, would like Ricciardo in their team.

[Sam993]

Mr Pointy said:

You make it sound as if they met up ia dodgy backstreet cafe in a little out of the way town somewhere.

I did? Well that's a twist. Seems to me that you're either missing the point completely or...

Mr Pointy said:

Or are you just trolling?

[heebeegeetee]

Sam993 said:

If he (Lauda) met with Marko then that is not normal contract negotiations. I doubt that would be considered legal in business world since they are fixing the market by doing this. Lauda as good of a driver he was and he's knowledge is amazing he quite often comes across as a bit of a <blank blank> .

Living legend?

Complete and utter living legend in my book. :-)

[Sam993]

NAS said:

Sam993 said:

NAS said:

You do know that Marko & Lauda have known each other for decades? And may share a similar view of the world and -perhaps- humor?

That doesn't make it in any way better (it makes it worse in fact). Or relevant.

it is relevant. It sounds like are (half-)joking to be honest. And half playing tactics naturally. Ricciardo should and will know this and will not let this affect him.

Friendship and joking is good, off the record. I doubt you'd be happy if your employer and someone you might want to work for made on the record statements about how you hold the current employer hostage because not only does that potentially affect your relationship with them but also impacts your position on the market. It seems, from reading the source article, that Lauda is on a power trip and he made this statement to make a point and reinforce his position within the team. I don't recall past situations where a team principal of a team that doesn't employ a driver would make statements that impact that driver, since it's not their business. It's that DACH Tourette's syndrome kind of directness that Lauda likes to use - the older he gets the more often he does it.

[anonymous-user]

Wouldn't surprise me if Riciardo ends up at McLaren as their driver to build the team around.

If McLaren stop screwing up their design, they could be a massive thorn in the side of the other 3 teams, despite their current form, they are no Williams, they have the funding and infrastructure to succeed.

[thegreenhell]

jsf said:

Wouldn't surprise me if Riciardo ends up at McLaren as their driver to build the team around.

That would be a bold move, and based on recent history not the the smartest. He's at the stage where he needs to be challenging for a WDC now, not in 3-5 years time. I don't think he'd be motivated by money, even taking over Alonso's pay packet. It would be different if he already had a title under his belt, but that is not the case. Even if he somehow wins the title this year it will be too late to affect his decision making for next year.

I think the only thing that would tempt him away from Red Bull Renault is a Ferrari or Mercedes contract. He might be more tempted to leave Red Bull Honda though, I suppose, but I still don't see any viable alternatives outside the current top 3 teams. Despite being the current hot property, and there being potential vacancies at several teams, he's not in an easy position.

[The Vambo]

Sam993 said:

If he (Lauda) met with Marko then that is not normal contract negotiations. I doubt that would be considered legal in business world since they are fixing the market by doing this. Lauda as good of a driver he was and he's knowledge is amazing he quite often comes across as a bit of a <blank blank> .

[anonymous-user]

SmoothCriminal said:

Riccardo is playing a stupid game.

Merc won't have him with Lewis there.
Vettel won't have him at Ferrari.

He can't even do an Alonso.

He has no where else apart from red bull.

Red bull should call his bluff.

More like Lewis won’t have him while Lewis is there.