Daniel Ricciardo says new Red Bull deal will be signed before Belgian GP
"It will definitely be done by Spa," says Ricciardo as contract announcement is delayed. "It's just a little bit of fine tuning".
By Matt Morlidge
Last Updated: 06/12/18 12:15pm
Daniel Ricciardo says his new Red Bull contract will "definitely" be agreed over F1's summer break, and is expecting confirmation before the first race back in Belgium.
Ricciardo and Red Bull boss Christian Horner previously claimed the deal would be announced before the end of the Hungarian GP.
But though the Australian has imposed a new contract deadline, he is relaxed about the negotiations.
"It will definitely be done by Spa," Ricciardo said after testing in Budapest. "Whether it gets announced over the summer break or in Spa [I don't know]."
Ricciardo and Red Bull have been locked in discussions since it became apparent that neither Mercedes or Ferrari would be interested in the out-of-contract driver for 2019, who has won two races this season.
"It's just a little bit of fine tuning here and there," Ricciardo added. "It's all good.
"You will hear something soon, I'm sure."
Ricciardo's new deal is likely to be a two-year agreement to put him in sync with other leading drivers such as Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen.
That contract would keep the 29-year-old at Red Bull until the major rules overhaul in 2021.
Ricciardo 'needs time away'
It's been a frustrating couple of months for Ricciardo.
After a sublime drive to win the Monaco GP, Ricciardo's stock in the driver market was higher than ever and he looked an outside shot for the title.
But since then he has failed to notch a single podium, while he was also forced into two retirements after Renault engine issues in Austria and Germany.
"I got Monaco, and I kind of joked that my year was done," he told reporters.
"But stuff that. It has been a rough run since. I can't really seem to get a break."
Ricciardo also admitted he needed a break from F1 and Red Bull after the run of bad luck.
He continued: "It's a good time for the break.
"We had a triple header to try to get one [win], and now this double header and it hasn't really turned around, or I've got any revenge so to speak.
"I need some time away from the car. I am growing frustrated with these problems, so probably it's healthy for me to have some time off."
Ricciardo did impress at the Hungarian GP, producing several fine overtakes as he made his way up to fourth after starting 12th on the grid.
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