Ricciardo cops penalty for first-lap crash

Daniel Ricciardo has copped a three-place grid penalty for his final Formula One race in a McLaren after crashing out of the Brazilian Grand Prix on the opening lap.

The Australian added another sorry chapter to his horror 2022 season on Sunday (Monday AEDT), colliding with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen on lap one.

Following closely into turn nine, Ricciardo tagged the Danish driver, with the Haas spinning and rolling back into the McLaren.

The incident left both drivers out of the race, with Ricciardo's retirement a hammer blow to McLaren's hopes of claiming fourth spot in the constructors' championship.

With teammate Lando Norris also copping some pain from an early incident and later retiring due to an electrical fault, McLaren are 19 points behind rivals Alpine for fourth with one race to go.

But the pain will not end there for Ricciardo.

Stewards determined after the race that while Ricciardo was not reckless he was "wholly to blame" for the crash, handing him a three-place grid penalty for the Abu Dhabi season-closer on November 20.

Ricciardo had claimed he had slowed enough to avoid the crash, arguing it was hard to determine who was at fault.

"I felt like it was clear in (turn) eight, I felt like I backed off enough to follow line," Ricciardo told Sky Sports. 

"At the apex I didn't expect to touch. I thought we were clear and then before you knew it I was into the back of Kevin. 

"I turned him around and I tried to avoid the second part and that was that.

"More than anything, lap one incidents, they're the worst. Whoever's fault it was, it sucks for both of us. You're out lap one."

Ricciardo remains uncontracted for next year after being replaced at McLaren by fellow Australian Oscar Piastri. 

While there is still potentially an opening at Haas with Mick Schumacher under pressure to keep his seat, Ricciardo has indicated he will sit out the season.

The Australian is no guarantee to reclaim a drive in 2024 as he hopes. He will turn 35 midway through that season.

An eight-time winner in F1, Ricciardo has endured a torrid two-year stint at McLaren with the exception a victory in the Italian Grand Prix last year.

Brazil marked his third retirement this year, with Ricciardo 12th in the driver standings on 35 points and well behind seventh-placed teammate Norris on 113.