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Ricciardo would have left Red Bull anyway: 'Wouldn't have seen myself there in 2021'
- GPblog.com
Daniel Ricciardo had hoped for better results in the last two seasons with Renault, but it was not to be. The Perth based driver would have been better off staying with Red Bull Racing and if he had extended his contract there he might now be battling it out with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for the world championship. Ricciardo, however, wouldn't have lasted this season at Red Bull anyway, he's honest.
"I get asked looking at how Red Bull are doing this year because maybe they can fight for the championship. Then people ask if I wouldn't have preferred to still be there," Ricciardo outlined to EFTM. com. In 2018, the 31-year-old driver decided not to renew his contract and go for a two-year commitment at Renault.
Ricciardo has always maintained that his choice of the French formation was not a money issue. However, his adventure at Renault didn't go as planned and in 2021 he switched to the McLaren team, where he will be active until 2023.
Ricciardo not at Red Bull in 2021
With Red Bull appearing to be quite competitive, the question naturally arises as to whether he wouldn't have preferred to stay alongside Max Verstappen."Even if I hadn't left that year [2018] and stayed with Red Bull, instead of Renault, for that one year or those two years, I would have moved even now. I couldn't have seen myself there for another three seasons. Regardless of whether I went to Renault or not, I wouldn't have seen myself at Red Bull in 2021 anyway," Ricciardo concluded.
In the coming years, Ricciardo will in any case be seen alongside Lando Norris. McLaren has done good business for the coming years. If in 2022 regulations are introduced in Formula 1, the team from Woking has a strong duo at its disposal.