Escape from Red Bull, Ricciardo: “There was the risk of being destroyed by Verstappen, my career perhaps would have ended sooner”

Ricciardo’s confession Christian Horner and Helmut Marko did not take Daniel Ricciardo’s ‘escape’ to Renault well in the summer of 2018. The team principal and the Red Bull consultant had presented a rich renewal offer to the Australian – after, however, having secured Max Verstappen with a very rich contract extension – but Ricciardo preferred to settle in Renault where he would undoubtedly have been the first driver of the French team. Among the many reasons that pushed Ricciardo to leave Red Bull there were also fears – which proved unfounded – about the competitiveness of the Honda power unit which starting from 2019 would equip (profitably) the cars of the Milton Keynes team. In an interview with The Athletic, however, Ricciardo also admitted that the fear of being overtaken by Verstappen in the following seasons also pushed him to leave Red Bull: “Obviously if I look back that was the biggest sliding door of my career – said Ricciardo – but there are various reasons that make me believe that it wouldn’t have worked anyway. In 2018 Verstappen and I were neck and neck and we pushed each other, but I don’t deny having thought about the scenario which would have seen me succumb and be destroyed by Verstappen in the following seasons, perhaps my career would have ended earlier.”