McLaren boss Zak Brown has put an alluring carrot in front of Daniel Ricciardo which the Aussie will receive when he scores his first podium with the Woking-based outfit.
Ricciardo put on a wager when he joined Renault in 2018, betting with then team boss Cyril Abiteboul that the Frenchman would accept getting a tattoo when his driver scored his first podium with the Enstone squad. That achievement was realized at the 2020 Eifel GP.
At McLaren, Brown has agreed to a pledge with his new driver involving once again a maiden podium finish. Last month, Ricciardo alluded to what could be at stake.
"I know he's got a pretty good car collection so maybe we could just bet for one of his cars or something!"
As a man who knows the value of the items in his collection, Brown obviously won't give away one of his precious cars in exchange of a podium. But he will wheel out a very special machine for Danny Ric when a top-three finish comes his way.
Dale Earnhardt Sr's 1984 Wrangler Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
Get us that podium and the drive is all yours, @DanielRicciardo. 😉🔑 @DaleJr @NASCAR pic.twitter.com/wyplavg8G3
— Zak Brown (@ZBrownCEO) March 31, 2021
Brown posted on Twitter a picture of the late and great Dale Earnhardt at the wheel of his 1984 Wrangler Chevrolet Monte Carlo, with a beguiling caption: "Get us that podium and the drive is all yours, Daniel Ricciardo."
Ricciardo was a massive fan of the NASCAR legend who was tragically killed in a three-way crash on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.
Last month, on the 20th anniversary of Earnhardt's passing, the 31-year-old revealed that his choice of n°3 in F1 - Earnhardt's trademark race number - was directly inspired by his childhood hero.
No doubt the Honey Badger will have been delighted with Brown's incentive and getting the chance to get behind the wheel of a car once raced by the motorsport legend he revered.
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