Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Daniel Ricciardo has admitted his Formula 1 career may have ended sooner had he remained with Red Bull Racing beyond 2018, amid the rising dominance of team-mate Max Verstappen.
The Australian driver clarified that his decision to leave Red Bull for Renault in 2019 was not an attempt to avoid direct competition. Instead, it was driven by concerns over team dynamics and the long-term direction he anticipated at the time.
Ricciardo secured eight victories across 257 Formula 1 starts between 2011 and 2024, with the majority achieved during his tenure at Red Bull. He officially stepped away from motorsport following the 2024 season and has since taken on an ambassadorial role with Ford, Red Bull’s engine partner for the 2026 regulations.
Speaking to The Athletic, Ricciardo acknowledged the possibility that Verstappen could have significantly outperformed him had he stayed within the Red Bull structure.
“There’s a scenario where Max just obliterated me over time and maybe my career ended even quicker. I don’t know,” he said.
“At the time, we were competitive with each other and pushing one another well. But it’s hard to deny that Max is Max.”
He also rejected the narrative that his move to Renault was an act of stepping away from a competitive challenge.
“I don’t think I was running from a fight. I was more concerned about how things were going to evolve within the team, particularly the internal dynamics,” Ricciardo explained.
Despite reflecting on alternative outcomes, Ricciardo stopped short of describing his Red Bull exit as a regret, instead framing it as an unresolved “what if” in his career.
“I wouldn’t go as far as calling it a regret, but it remains a curiosity as to how it might have played out,” he added.
Following his departure from Red Bull, Ricciardo raced for Renault—now competing as Alpine—before joining McLaren. His final Formula 1 victory came at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix in Monza with McLaren.
Meanwhile, Verstappen went on to secure four consecutive world championships from 2021 to 2024, establishing himself as the dominant force of the era. Since Ricciardo’s exit, Red Bull has rotated multiple team-mates alongside Verstappen in search of a stable pairing.
Ricciardo also revealed he felt “grateful” when he was released by Racing Bulls in 2024, as it ultimately removed the burden of deciding his own retirement.
“I had been let go twice in two years, and it took a lot out of me. I had put a lot of myself into it and felt exhausted,” he said.
“Looking back, I’m grateful they made that decision for me. It would have been difficult for me to say ‘I’m done’ on my own.”
Ricciardo’s reflections underline the complexity of career decisions at the highest level of Formula 1, as the sport continues to evolve toward a new regulatory era in 2026 with Red Bull entering a fresh phase alongside Ford.
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