The much-anticipated confirmation was made public by the Racing Bull. The fierce Australian racer, Daniel Ricciardo, saw his F1 career halt after his contract with Vcarb expired. Subsequently, he was dropped with six races to go, as Liam Lawson was set to take his seat. This draws the curtain on Ricciardo’s illustrious F1 career, especially after he confirmed in Singapore that he has no desire to return to racing.
The eight-time race winner, known for his flamboyancy on and off the track, will not be seen again behind the wheels. However, the reason for his F1 career’s end is not his recent performance. The Red Bull senior advisor has explained the real cause behind the fall of “Honey Badger.”
Helmut Marko Explains The Reason Behind The Fall Of “Honey Badger”
Daniel Ricciardo lived his dream of becoming an F1 racer in 2011. He joined hands with the sister Red Bull team named Torro Rosso (now VCARB). The Australian racer leaped and sealed a spot in the senior RB team in 2014. This rapid ascend saw him performing the four-time world champion and his teammate Sebastian Vettle. Sadly, with new Regulations coming in, the RBR team was no longer competitive. Thus, despite being in top form, Ricciardo was nowhere near the front-runners. However, later in 2019, he had to leave Red Bull after the rise of Max Verstappen. The Aussie signed a contract with Renault and bagged two podiums in two seasons.
Thereupon, his career was on a downward spiral as, despite signing with McLaren, he couldn’t stand against Lando Norris. Thus, Helmut Marko recently suggested that this barren period is what diminished his “killer instinct.” In an interview with Motorsport-Total, Marko claimed leaving Red Bull was a “turning point” in Ricciardo’s career. Further, Marko explained that the absence of a competitive car at Renault and McLaren jeopardized his F1 run. However, the Austrian executive was unsure of the exact issue with Ricciardo. Otherwise, he would have intervened to assist him. Moreover, Marko believes the charm is gone as Ricciardo appears shoddy with his car control.
Helmut Marko Reveals The Reson Behind Ricciardo’s Initial Red Bull Exit
Helmut Marko revealed specific reservations regarding the Honda engine, suggesting that some of the allure of joining Renault, particularly from Cyril Abiteboul, may have influenced the decision. He noted that the financial offers from Renault and Red Bull were quite similar, indicating that money was not the primary deciding factor.
Marko also pointed out the challenges the driver would face in the future, humorously mentioning the difficulty of doing “shoeys,” a celebratory drink from a shoe often seen on the podium. He implied that Renault had not frequently been seen on the podium, suggesting a lack of competitive performance.
Reflecting on past performance, Marko recalled that the driver initially came to Red Bull after achieving impressive victories over Sebastian Vettel in 2014. However, as the seasons progressed, he faced challenges, including times when Daniil Kvyat outpaced him. Eventually, the arrival of Max Verstappen added more competition, contributing to the driver’s decision to opt for Renault instead of Red Bull.