Daniel Ricciardo is one of the most highly rated drivers in the Formula 1 paddock. Even though his stint with McLaren has been marred with misery, you cannot argue about his talents as a racing driver. However, his ex-boss feels that the Ricciardo of old is nowhere to be seen.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner feels that Ricciardo has completely changed his approach. He even blames the fallout with Red Bull for the decline in the Honey Badger’s self-confidence and morale. Ricciardo left the Bulls at the end of 2018 after feeling neglected over Max Verstappen.

According to Horner, “We used to see him on the podium doing ‘shoeys’, with his smile, but we don’t see any of that anymore.”. Horner believes that the Daniel Ricciardo of old has been lost in this entire team-hopping rigmarole.

“I no longer recognize the driver he was with us. It’s just very sad that I’m not close to him. I spoke to Daniel a bit but I don’t recognize him as the same pilot he was when he was with us. He’s one of the best guys yet in F1.”. (translated via Google Translate)

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Ricciardo still seems hungry enough to not quit the sport completely. He has time and again reiterated his confidence in himself and that he can still compete at the very pinnacle of motorsport.

Daniel Ricciardo opens up about his future amid McLaren axe

Daniel Ricciardo sat down with Formula 1 journalist Lawrence Baretto to talk about his exit from McLaren and his future in the sport. During the chat, Ricciardo was visibly emotional and seemingly unhappy about the whole situation. However, he gave very candid responses that clear a lot about the Aussie’s future.

When Baretto asked whether Ricciardo would leave the team, “on good terms”, the Aussie was quick to reply with “Yeah, you know, I will.”. Ricciardo also hinted towards his intention to not quit the sport at the end of 2022. “I would hate for this to be the way it ends.” remarked the Australian.

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With nine races to go, can Ricciardo make McLaren regret their decision to let him go? Can the Honey Badger bounce back with another team and bring back the glory days of old? Let us know in the comments below.