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Former advisor wants £10 million from Ricciardo!

Daniel Ricciardo's former advisor Glenn Beavis claims the Aussie owes him over £10 million in unpaid commissions mainly linked to the Aussie's contract with Renault.

According to a report from Motorsport.com, Beavis filed documents with the High Court of Justice of the United Kingdom earlier this month alleging the nonpayment by Ricciardo of the advisor's 20% commission on the driver's contract with current employer Renault, which the former advisor helped negotiate and secure during Ricciardo's final year with Red Bull.

Beavis also alleges he is owed monies by Ricciardo related to various elements of his contractual arrangements with the driver such as the procurement of a superlicence, the use of a Renault road car or the hiring of a physiotherapist.

In a statement to Motorsport.com, Ricciardo denied the claim.

"There is no substance to Glenn Beavis’ claim," said the seven-time Grand Prix winner.

"It is unfortunate that he has decided to bring this wholly un-meritorious claim which I intend to fully defend in the court process."

Ricciardo and Beavis' formal relationship goes back to 2013 when the latter started to provide management and consultancy services to the driver through a dedicated British Virgin Islands entity, Whitedunes, of which Ricciardo is the beneficial owner.

However, the collaboration between the two was apparently terminated in late 2018.

Earlier this year, before the opening round of the 2019 F1 season, Ricciardo announced that he had joined CAA Sports, a subsidiary of talent management company Creative Arts Agency based in Los Angeles.

According to the legal documents that were filed by Beavis, the advisor initiated talks with Renault as early as mid-2017, with the final deal with the French manufacturer sealed a year later.

The documents include a copy of Ricciardo's contract with Renault, redacted to obscure confidential details, but with a reference to the fact that the driver's August 2018 deal with his new team was agreed upon at "a value very substantially in excess of" his deal with Red Bull Racing.

Beavis says he was informed on April 4 of this year by R&H Trust Co (Jersey) Limited, acting "on behalf of Whitedunes and/or Ricciardo", that no commission was payable with regard to the Renault contract.

The pair will either have their day in court or perhaps ultimately settle the claim amicably.

In an episode of the Netflix series "Drive to Surivie", which chronicled the 2018 F1 season, Beavis appeared alongside each other as the pair devised the Aussie's future in F1.

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Michael Delaney

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