Even in a bad relationship, whether it is personal or business, there is often a level of comfort and acceptability. Often it is more acceptable to stay in the arrangement than making major change. Particularly in business, we just have to get on and make the relationship work. Now I am not privy to any of the intimate relationships between drivers and their teams in either Formula 1 or IndyCars but much is currently being written and discussed regarding both Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon and Red Bull F1 Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo and the possibility of both drivers’ switching teams for 2019.
From the outside looking in, all looks fine. If either want to move on then there must be something wrong. My money is on both staying.
Speculation is on Dixon moving to a McLaren-Honda IndyCar team for the 2019 season run by Andretti Racing. Ricciardo is yet to re-sign with his current Red Bull F1 Racing Team, with options to move to McLaren (to replace Fernando Alonso) or maybe to the Renault F1 team – Michael Clark explores these options in his article So what would you do? posted to this website on Wednesday.
Why? I’m not actually sure as it just doesn’t make sense for either driver to shift.
Four-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon is in his 17th season with Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) which is the longest tenure for a driver in the team’s history. A team and personality (owner Chip Ganassi) that has been involved in the US motorsport industry for over 30 years. Not only do they provide Dixon with a seat in the IndyCar Series, but he also drives for the team in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. There is no indication that there is anything wrong with the Dixon – Chip Ganassi relationship to warrant a move. Dixon currently leads the IndyCar Series and his focus is on a fifth title. There must be a deep-seated loyalty between both the driver and team. Remember that in the last 16 seasons of IndyCar racing with CGR, Dixon has finished in the top three, 12 times.
In his article – So what would you do? – Michael Clark puts forward the pros and cons of the three options for Ricciardo. What I don’t understand is whether Ricciardo has ever considered the possibility of the team saying no, they don’t want him? That he could be replaced by Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly or even Carlos Sainz Jr, a Red Bull Racing driver on loan to the Renault F1 team. The conspiracy theorist in me suggests it could even be a brilliant marketing ploy by Red Bull. That an agreement with Ricciardo was made some time ago but they are ‘milking’ the limelight!
In the end we may see no change at all. My money is on the status quo continuing.
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