London: Daniel Ricciardo is to leave Red Bull at the end of this season for Renault after his patience at being paid significantly less than his younger teammate Max Verstappen finally snapped.
In the most dramatic move of this year’s driver market, the Australian, who had grown increasingly frustrated by his team’s favourable treatment of the Dutch star, decided to walk away from a company with whom he has spent his entire seven-year career in Formula One.
The choice to move to Renault sprang out of left-field. Ricciardo, the most in-demand driver on the grid after hugely impressive wins in China and Monaco this season, had been linked with moves to Mercedes and Ferrari, but opted instead to join a team firmly in F1’s midfield.
Crucially, though, the 29-year-old has been assured of status as Renault’s No 1 driver, a privilege he was never likely to enjoy alongside Verstappen, nine years his junior and widely regarded as a multiple world champion of the future.
Ricciardo earns roughly 40 per cent less than Verstappen - an estimated pounds 3.4 million annually, against his junior rival’s pounds 5.7 million - despite having amassed 13 more points in the championship so far.
His annoyance at the situation had grown ever more evident, as he even accused Red Bull over his in-car radio of showing preference towards Verstappen at last month’s Austrian Grand Prix. He had tried to resolve the impasse through one-on-one talks with Dietrich Mateschitz, the drinks company’s billionaire owner, but was not given the assurances that he sought.
The loss to Red Bull can hardly be overstated. Ricciardo is an extraordinary talent, as shown by a wonderful defensive drive to prevail in Monte Carlo, despite a defective gearbox, and the series of audacious overtakes that propelled him to victory in Shanghai.
Red Bull had staked much of their brand, too, on having the most vibrant and dynamic driver pairing in F1. Indeed, Ricciardo is so marketable that the sport has even trademarked the word “shoey”, in honour of his podium celebrations, where he celebrates with a drink straight from his race shoe.
Commercially, his loss will be keenly felt at the team factory in Milton Keynes.
His unexpected move, which came after his team principal Christian Horner set him a summer deadline to commit one way or the other, sets up a fascinating power dynamic between Red Bull and Renault. Only last weekend, Horner claimed on live television that Renault were supplying a sub-standard engine to Red Bull, who are switching supplier to Honda from 2019. Cyril Abiteboul, Renault’s managing director, acidly replied: “Our bosses have stopped reading what Christian is saying about us since 2015. It’s very clear that we don’t want to have dealings with them any more.”
Ricciardo’s transfer will enable Carlos Sainz to make his anticipated jump to McLaren, where the Spaniard will take the place of the ineffectual Stoffel Vandoorne.
Horner, for his part, claimed that Red Bull “respected” Ricciardo’s decision and would “continue to evaluate the numerous options available to us” for his replacement.
