Brown reveals special bet with Ricciardo for podium finish

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.

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.

• Read also: Ricciardo remembers 'racing hero and inspiration' Dale Earnhardt

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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