Helmut Marko believes Daniel Ricciardo misplaced his “killer intuition” within the years away from Crimson Bull as he defined the Australian’s RB exit.
On Thursday, it was confirmed Ricciardo has been changed at Crimson Bull’s RB workforce for the rest of 2024 by reserve driver Liam Lawson, with the New Zealander becoming a member of Yuki Tsunoda from Austin’s US Grand Prix onwards.
The information all however marks the top of a 14-year stint in F1 for 35-year-old Ricciardo, who’s now mulling over his future in racing.
As a Crimson Bull junior, Ricciardo rose via the ranks to compete for the principle workforce between 2014 and 2018 and he turned one among F1’s standout performers throughout that period, gathering seven wins alongside Sebastian Vettel after which a quickly rising Max Verstappen.
Ricciardo was persuaded by Renault workforce boss Cyril Abiteboul to make the soar to the Enstone-based workforce for 2019, however struggled to repeat his Crimson Bull successes in uncompetitive equipment.
After two fruitless seasons Ricciardo moved to McLaren however, regardless of taking an eighth win on the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, he endured two irritating seasons attempting to adapt to the workforce’s equipment, earlier than being reduce unfastened one yr earlier than the top of his deal in 2022.
Talking solely to Motorsport.com’s sister website Motorsport-Whole.com, Marko mentioned he believes Ricciardo’s profession by no means recovered from leaving Crimson Bull within the first place, and says the Australian has misplaced his “killer intuition” alongside the way in which.
Daniel Ricciardo, RB F1 Crew VCARB 01
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
“I believe the choice to depart Crimson Bull Racing was the turning level in his profession,” Marko mentioned. “Then he did not have a profitable automotive at both Renault or McLaren. He did win at Monza, however these have been particular circumstances.
“I do not know what precisely occurred, as a result of if we knew, we might have helped him. However the velocity and, above all, this late braking, after which he goes left or proper… in these previous few years he tried but it surely was not there, the killer intuition was gone.”
Marko believes query marks over his standing alongside Verstappen and the power of Crimson Bull’s Honda energy items each performed a component in Ricciardo leaving Crimson Bull for Renault.
“He had sure reservations in regards to the Honda engine and apparently he listened extra to the candy discuss of Renault and Cyril Abiteboul,” Marko defined. “Financially, there wasn’t a lot distinction between what Renault supplied him and what we supplied.
“I additionally advised him: ‘Shoeys might be arduous for you’. I do not assume we have seen Renault on the rostrum so much.
“He got here to us, beating Vettel with three-to-zero victories in 2014 and after that, Daniil Kvyat was quicker than him at occasions, however over the season he additionally had him beneath management.
“After which Max got here and he obtained stronger and stronger, in order that was actually one of many causes for his choice to decide on Renault over us.”
Amid unease amongst followers over how Ricciardo’s exit was communicated and spilled out into the Singapore weekend, earlier than the official announcement on Thursday, Marko says Ricciardo was knowledgeable about what would occur and felt his quickest lap was a becoming send-off.
“[The timing] was associated to a wide range of components and obligations,” he defined. “He was knowledgeable, and the worthy farewell efficiency was, I believe, the quickest lap.
“That also confirmed what potential he has, not repeatedly and never on the degree that may have justified him coming to Crimson Bull Racing, however that was an impeccable efficiency.
“I believe it was clearly communicated that he must be considerably higher than Yuki Tsunoda and he solely managed that in a couple of races, so it was clear that this story of the prodigal son rejoining Crimson Bull Racing sadly did not work out.
“He mentioned very nicely that he’s at peace with himself, and he has come to phrases with the state of affairs and we’ll see what his plans for the longer term are.”
