Daniel Ricciardo's contract terminated early by McLaren, leaving him a free agent for 2023; Haas and Williams are among several teams to have been linked to the Australian; watch Belgian GP weekend live on Sky Sports, with Sunday's race at 2pm
Friday 26 August 2022 19:02, UK
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has confirmed his interest in outgoing McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo amid uncertainty over Mick Schumacher’s future with the team.
McLaren and Ricciardo confirmed on Wednesday they had agreed a mutual termination of the Australian's contract at the end of the season, which has left him without a drive for next season.
Ricciardo has expressed his desire to remain in the sport, with Haas among several teams to have been linked to the 33-year-old ahead of the season's resumption at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix - live and exclusive on Sky Sports F1, with Saturday's qualifying at 3pm and Sunday's race at 2pm.
"I didn't make any phone calls," Steiner told Sky Sports F1's Rachel Brookes. "I'm just sitting there seeing how it all pans out.
"Danny just announced a couple of days ago that he would be leaving McLaren, so I didn't want to get involved in that one.
"I think in my position I have to speak with anybody. I haven't spoken with him. But let's see, first I think we wait until this weekend is over and see if Daniel gets over it and see what he wants to do. I have no idea what he wants to do after this season."
Steiner reiterated that Haas are unsure as to whether they want to retain Schumacher to drive alongside Kevin Magnussen in 2023, with the German driver having failed to live up to the team's expectations for much of this season.
"Yeah there is a seat [available]," Steiner said. "But we don't know who to put in there. At the moment we've got a driver in there, and it could be that he stays in there."
Asked if that meant Schumacher was on "rocky ground", Steiner continued: "I wouldn't say rocky. We just need to look around and do the best for the team.
"Mick has done a good job in Canada, Silverstone and Austria, and now we've got a few more races here and we just monitor how it is going and then we will take our decisions."
Williams chief Jost Capito says the team is in "no rush" to make a decision on their driver line-up for 2023 despite speculation linking them with Ricciardo
Alexander Albon will remain a Williams driver in 2023 after extending his contract with the Formula 1 team earlier in August.
Speaking on Thursday, Capito said "there is a good chance" of Nicholas Latifi also being at Williams in 2023, but no decision will be made until after the Italian Grand Prix on September 11.
"We will discuss with everybody and see what's going on," Capito said. "We have no rush and we wouldn't take a decision till, at the earliest, after Monza.
"We have our two drivers, we announced Alex. We handle our drivers very well.
"Also, with Nicky, he has improved a lot in the recent races. He is willing to continue with us and we would be willing to continue with him. And he now has another three European races where he can prove that he is getting better with the car, has more confidence with the car.
"He is in a good way recently, so if he uses the break properly and shows his performance, then there is a good chance of him being with us next year.
"On the other hand, we have our own young drivers. Logan (Sargeant) is there, he has had a fantastic season in F2.
"We are sorted with drivers and we have good options."
Jamie Chadwick, who holds the records for the most wins, podiums, pole positions and points in the all-female W Series, is also a development driver for Williams, and Capito said the 24-year-old Brit "should not be impressed" by Stefano Domenicali's recent comments that he does not envisage females competing in F1 over the next five years.
"This is Stefano's view, and based on what?" Capito said. "I think Jamie should not be impressed by that.
"We are working very closely with Jamie. She is part of our academy… she understands where she has to improve and she gets very specific training which helps her a lot and gives her much more opportunities.
"Finally, she has to prove in F3 and F2 that she deserves a place in Formula 1. If she is willing to do that, she will have our support."
Saturday, August 27
9.30am: F3 Sprint Race
11.45pm: Belgian GP Practice Three (session starts 12pm)
2pm: Belgian GP Qualifying Build-up
3pm: BELGIAN GP QUALIFYING
4.55pm: F2 Sprint Race
Sunday, August 28
7.45am: F2 Feature Race
9.15am: F2 Feature Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Belgian GP Build-up
2pm: THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Belgian GP Reaction
5.30pm: Belgian GP Highlights
