Daniel Ricciardo is facing a legal claim from his former manager of £10 million in allegedly unpaid fees.
Ricciardo made the shock decision to leave Red Bull for the French manufacturer ahead of the current season. According to Glenn Beavis, that deal included commissions which he is yet to receive.
Beavis’ lawsuit, filed in London’s High Court, claims that he is owed 20 percent of Ricciardo’s base salary and several other contractual fees, including the cost of the Australian driver’s superlicence. The details of the lawsuit would suggest Ricciardo’s base salary with Renault is in excess of £20 million.
Beavis provided management and consultancy services to Ricciardo from 2012 until this season. Ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Ricciardo announced a new partnership with CAA Sports.
Beavis claims he started negotiations on Ricciardo’s behalf with Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul in mid-2017, which continued into 2018 and culminated with Ricciardo signing a contract on August 2. The lawsuit states Ricciardo told Beavis he was seeking an end to their partnership on December 15, but it was agreed Beavis could continue as “there were various outstanding matters to be dealt with first, including negotiating the long form of the Renault driver contracts”.
Beavis says he finalised the long form Renault contract on March 7, a week before the Australian Grand Prix and before his agreement with Ricciardo ended on March 31.
According to the lawsuit, the defendants claim “that the claimant has no entitlement to the commission or to any other form or amount of commission in relation to the Renault contract.”
Ricciardo is being represented by Jeremy Courtenay-Stamp of Ebury Partnership, who is yet to file the Australian’s defence — he told the BBC he intends to do so by the end of July.