« The story of the return of the prodigal son to Red Bull Racing did not work out » – Marko about Ricciardo

During an exclusive interview with Formel1.de, Helmut Marko shed light on Daniel Ricciardo’s departure from Racing Bulls and the team’s strategy to support the emergence of young talents. The decision to replace Ricciardo with Liam Lawson potentially puts an end to the Australian driver’s 14-year career in Formula 1.

Marko insisted that this decision to part ways with Ricciardo is simply part of the team’s overall strategy, and that they have nothing against the Australian driver. We must see this in a larger context, we have a good number of promising young drivers such as Hauger, Lawson or Iwasa, without ranking them. We have to look towards the future.

Red Bull’s advisor also specified that Ricciardo had been informed of what the team expected from him from the beginning and that he simply did not fulfill his part of the contract to keep his seat, « I think we clearly indicated to him that he had to be significantly better than Yuki Tsunoda and he only managed to do that in a few races. So it’s clear that the story of the prodigal son’s return to Red Bull Racing unfortunately did not work out, », he explained.

Speaking about Ricciardo’s journey, he pointed out that his departure from Red Bull in 2018 was a turning point in the latter’s career. Marko revealed that the Australian driver had initially agreed to stay at Red Bull, even sealing the deal with a handshake with the team’s leaders. There was an event, I believe in the main square of Graz, and then we sat down and reached an agreement. He then went to Salzburg and did the same with Dietrich Mateschitz, sealed by a handshake, he recounted.

However, Ricciardo had finally decided to join Renault, a decision that Marko attributes to concerns about the Honda engine and the driver’s financial motivations. “He had reservations about the Honda engine and apparently he was more seduced by the sweet words of Renault and Cyril Abiteboul,” said Marko. He also specified that financially there was not much difference between the offers the two teams had made to him. “With us, there was less fixed salary but higher bonuses, and we haven’t seen him on the podium often at Renault, I believe,” he quipped, subtly alluding to the fact that this partnership had not been very fruitful.

Assessing Ricciardo’s performance against his teammates during his career at Red Bull, Marko finds that he had significantly better results than Sebastian Vettel, but that Daniil Kvyat was sometimes faster and eventually got the better of him. Then came Max, who gradually gained in power. This was certainly one of the reasons he decided to leave us for Renault, as Hülkenberg was his teammate there, I believe.

The most striking observation Marko made was regarding Ricciardo’s loss of competitiveness,
I do not know exactly what happened because if we had known, we would have helped him. But the speed, and especially, that late braking were no longer there in recent years, his killer instinct had disappeared.

Despite the circumstances surrounding Daniel Ricciardo’s departure, Marko praised the Australian’s recent contributions to Racing Bulls. His latest remarkable act was, I believe, the fastest lap. It still showed all the potential he had, not on a regular basis and not at a level that would have justified his promotion to Red Bull Racing, but it was an impeccable performance.

Looking ahead to the future, Marko expressed his uncertainty about Ricciardo’s future in motorsport. “I don’t think he will join another racing category,” he speculated. He particularly doubts that Ricciardo would want to engage in other activities once he is no longer an active driver, concluding that it would be an important decision for him regarding how he wants to direct his future life.

As he leaves Racing Bulls, the future of Daniel Ricciardo remains uncertain. The Australian driver’s journey in the sport has been simply remarkable, from his decisive performances at Red Bull to the difficulties encountered during his time at Renault and McLaren, and his brief return to the Red Bull family, the Australian driver’s career has been an adventure filled with ups and downs.

At 34, Ricciardo still possess the experience and skills that could be valuable for many teams. Whether he chooses to engage in other racing categories, or to permanently leave the world of competitive racing, remains to be seen. But whatever path he decides to take, his imprint on Formula 1 is undeniable. From his exciting duels on the track to his charismatic presence off-track, Daniel Ricciardo leaves an indelible mark on the sport. As life goes on in the paddock and new rising stars emerge, fans and fellow drivers will remember the Honey Badger for the enthusiasm and positivity he brought to the paddock during his Formula 1 career.