When Daniel Ricciardo left Red Bull Racing at the end of 2018, it was seen as a bold move. After seven race victories and three pole positions with the team, Ricciardo elected to switch over to Renault for two years before moving to his current home in McLaren. While his time since leaving Red Bull has been less successful, he insists that he doesn’t regret taking the gamble. Let’s take a look at how his decision has panned out and if he has any regrets about leaving one of the top teams in Formula 1.
Ricciardo’s Impact at Red Bull
In 2014, Ricciardo made the switch from Toro Rosso to Red Bull Racing and quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with in Formula 1. He notched up seven race victories and three pole positions during his five year stint with the team, far outperforming his highly touted teammate Max Verstappen. His unrivaled speed and consistent performances earned him a legion of devoted fans who still support him to this day.
The Move To Renault
When Ricciardo announced that he was leaving Red Bull at the end of 2018, it sent shockwaves through the F1 community. It seemed like an unbelievable gamble – why would someone leave one of the top teams in F1 for an unknown quantity? However, when asked about it recently by Sky Sports F1 presenter Rachel Brookes, Ricciardo said that he had no regrets about making that decision: “I took a bit of a gamble coming out of Red Bull but I always stand by my decisions and I don’t really have any regrets…I also wanted just something else new. I think sometimes we needed something different than what I had been doing for so long.”
The Move To McLaren
At the end of 2020, after two seasons with Renault, Ricciardo decided it was time for another change and made the move to McLaren ahead of 2021 season. As is often the case when drivers make moves between teams, results have been mixed so far – while he has scored some impressive points finishes (including 4th place in Monaco), there have also been some races where he has failed to finish due to technical issues or mistakes on track. That being said, things are looking up for Ricciardo; both himself and teammate Lando Norris are feeling much more confident in their abilities now compared with earlier in 2021 thanks to improved car performance from McLaren as well as increased familiarity with each other’s driving styles.
Overall, while Daniel Ricciardo may not have achieved quite as much success since leaving Red Bull as many had expected him to, you can’t fault him for taking risks or trying something new – after all, that is what makes racing such an exciting sport! Despite some bumps along the road – literally! – it looks like things are finally starting to come together for him at McLaren; here’s hoping that they can continue this momentum into 2022 and beyond!