McLaren set to end Ricciardo’s 2023 F1 deal to make way for Piastri

McLaren is believed to have signed Piastri initially on a reserve driver deal for 2023, one that it intends to upgrade to a race seat, assuming that a plan for Ricciardo’s early exit is eventually agreed.

Ricciardo has a firm McLaren contract for next season as part of the original three-year deal that he signed in early 2020, while still at Renault.

Ricciardo and the team will now have to agree a settlement involving a substantial pay-off in order for him to walk away at…