The 2018 departure of Daniel Ricciardo from Red Bull Racing is still remembered as a pivotal point in his Formula 1 career. The Australian driver acknowledges that, although he doesn’t regret leaving the team, his career would have gone in a different direction had he stayed. Although Daniel Ricciardo admits in retrospect that his route shifted, he does not go so far as to say that it would have resulted in his winning the F1 World Championship.

The Surprising Red Bull Exit

Ricciardo’s decision to part ways with Red Bull came as a shock to many, including his team principal, Christian Horner. Ricciardo was about to sign a new contract with the club at the moment. The F1 world was shocked when he chose to sign with Renault for the 2019 season, though. Considering Ricciardo’s stellar accomplishments with his former colleague, Max Verstappen, and Red Bull’s competitive standing, the decision was especially unexpected.

Is Ricciardo Still the World Champion? This is the “what if” question

The question of whether Daniel Ricciardo would have won a world championship had he stayed with Red Bull is one of the main unanswered mysteries surrounding his departure. Since Ricciardo’s exit, Max Verstappen has won 56 races and three World Championships, making him the current dominant player in the sport. On the other hand, Ricciardo’s career after leaving Red Bull has yielded less success, as he has only won one race while working at McLaren.

Ricciardo himself is candid about his decision, saying, “I don’t look back with regret, but I’m also aware that the decision I made in 2018… it felt like it was the right thing to do at the time.” He acknowledges that, even though his career would have probably looked different if he had stayed, it doesn’t mean he would have won the world championship. The driver admits that his decision to leave Red Bull was the most contentious of his career, but it was one he felt was essential.

The Renault and McLaren Stints: A Rollercoaster Ride

In 2019, Daniel Ricciardo joined Renault with the hope of starting again and developing a group of teammates around him as a works driver. Regretfully, he did not achieve the outcomes he had hoped for during his tenure at Renault. Upon failing to win a Grand Prix for two years, Ricciardo made the decision to join McLaren.
While his time at McLaren did bring one race win—the 2021 Italian Grand Prix—it was far from a consistent resurgence in his career. The early termination of his three-year deal with the club was caused by his apparent troubles with the car. Daniel Ricciardo arrived on the Formula One grid without a full-time position by the end of 2022.

Ricciardo’s Temporary Exit and Return to Formula 1

After his split from McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo took what was initially a sabbatical from the sport. His stint away from the grid, though, quickly led to him being assigned to Red Bull’s youth squad, AlphaTauri, as a reserve driver. Midway through 2023, Nyck de Vries was let go from AlphaTauri, and this role ultimately gave Ricciardo another chance.

When he reflects on his absence, Ricciardo admits that he had doubts about his F1 career. “Towards the close of 2022, I made the decision not to compete in the 2023 season. He said, “I didn’t know where my life or career was going to go.” His expression was one of doubt and despair as he wondered if his Formula One career would end forever. “If this is how things ended, deep down, I was still disappointed. Whether I was ready for that, I’m not sure.

In spite of the emotional difficulties, Daniel Ricciardo thinks that taking a break gave him perspective and clarity. “It’s a bit scary because it’s all I’ve known for my whole life, but sometimes these things open your eyes to other opportunities,” he said. In retrospect, Daniel Ricciardo is happy he took the break since it allowed him to reevaluate his goals and aspirations in the sport.

The Unpredictable Future: Will Ricciardo Take First Place in 2025?

As of right now, Ricciardo’s Formula 1 future is still undetermined. He still doesn’t have a spot reserved for the 2025 season, and there are reports that emerging prodigy Liam Lawson from AlphaTauri will take his position as Yuki Tsunoda’s partner. But Ricciardo isn’t giving up on defending his spot on the grid.

“I will continue to kind of make it about me in the sense that they won’t find a reason to do anything if I’m performing,” Ricciardo stated in a press conference conducted in 2023 during the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Because he knows that maintaining his standing in the sport demands consistent performance, he is laser-focused on getting the results he needs to safeguard his future.

Ricciardo’s F1 Journey is Far from Over

Daniel Ricciardo’s Formula 1 career has been filled with highs and lows, from his early successes with Red Bull to his struggles with Renault and McLaren. Though it’s likely that his 2018 decision to quit Red Bull will always be debated, Ricciardo is happy with the choices he made.
It is clear that Ricciardo is passionate about racing and driven to achieve even as he continues to negotiate the turbulent environment of Formula 1. Whether or not Daniel Ricciardo secures a full-time drive in 2025 is an open question, but one thing is certain: he is far from done with Formula 1.

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