Just in case you didn’t need any more evidence that Daniel Ricciardo was done with McLaren, it’s just emerged that ‘The Honey Badger’ is selling his McLaren company car – a gloriously petty move.
Daniel Ricciardo might be without a race seat in Formula 1 this year, but the affable Aussie seems in high spirits, clearly relishing his new role as Red Bull reserve driver-slash-paid court jester. He seems re-energised: happy to be away from McLaren and the miasma of his disappointing experience with the team.
But as much as Ricciardo seemed to leave McLaren on decent terms, we wouldn’t be surprised if he’s much more hurt about the whole situation than he’s been publically letting on. That’s why we’re not that surprised (but we are very entertained) that he’s selling one of the McLaren road cars the formerly front-running team gave him during his two years at Woking.
Head on over to AutoTrader UK and you’ll find that a McLaren dealership in New Forest, just outside of Southampton, is selling Danny Ric’s 2021 McLaren 720S Spider, which he drove during the 2021 season – the season which, of course, he won the Italian Grand Prix, his first win since the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix and McLaren’s first (and only) win since the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix.
Produced from 2017 until 2023, the 720S is McLaren’s entry-level sports car – well, we should say was, as production of the 720S officially ended in December 2022, with the new 750S replacing its spot in McLaren’s lineup. Although calling the 720S ‘entry-level’ is sort of missing the point…
The two-seater convertible, which is powered by the 4.0L twin-turbo McLaren M840T V8 engine – the same donk that goes into McLaren’s top vehicles like the Senna and Speedtail – makes a healthy 530kW and accelerates from 0-60mph in a blistering 2.8 seconds.
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Ricciardo’s 720S Spider (which, as the name implies, is a convertible) has just 6,749 miles on the clock, as well as a bunch of optional extras including the performance plus pack, convenience pack, an exterior carbon fibre upgrade pack and an interior carbon fibre pack.
The best bit is probably its paint job, which is a McLaren Special Operations (MSO) colour called Lantana Purple. It takes a certain kind of dude to tool around in a purple convertible McLaren… We guess Danny Ric is that kind of dude. Or was that kind of dude, at least.
It’s not cheap, though. The McLaren dealership wants £217,450 (~$412,324 AUD) for it, which is a lot of money for a car without even a Ricciardo signature anywhere on it.
This 720S isn’t the only McLaren that Ricciardo drove whilst he was at the team. He also had access to a left-hand drive McLaren 765LT that he had in the United States – no word on whether or not he’s kept that car.
We just wonder what company car Red Bull’s given him. A Honda Civic Type R?
WATCH our guide to the watches Formula 1 drivers, including Daniel Ricciardo, wear when they’re ‘off-duty’ below.