Daniel Ricciardo may have taken a step closer to securing the vacant Red Bull seat – in what many believe is already a done deal – after rumours surfaced that he underwent a seat fitting last week.
The Australian is believed to have attended the Milton Keynes factory during a special visit to ensure he can fit in Adrian Newey’s ergonomically-designed RB10 for 2014.
In an admission to the Telegraph, Ricciardo admitted the size of hips were a concern, so a seat fitting so early on certainly isn’t unusual.
“I’ve got wide hips,” he explained. “It’s not my arse per se. I guess it’s genetic.
“Even when I signed for Toro Rosso we had to do a few seat fits and they did some scans to make that particular part of the cockpit a bit wider, so that we’re not sitting on the actual carbon fibre.
“But yeah, I’ve heard that Adrian does like to build small race cars. I can’t do much about it. Even if I go on a massive diet my hip bones aren’t going to change.”
In what could be a further sign he’s off to Red Bull, the 24-year-old, who currently earns around £300,000 at Toro Rosso, has moved to Monaco – a move many drivers take to avoid paying tax on their large earnings.
“I moved to Monaco last week,” he confirmed. “I wasn’t going to advertise it, but yes, I’m out of Milton Keynes now.
“To be honest, the weather and the ocean was a bigger factor than the tax. The financial benefits [help], of course, although they probably don’t help me now. I’m not really earning enough to justify it.”
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