When Daniel Ricciardo left Red Bull for Renault in 2019, it seemed like a downgrade. Therefore, when the Australian F1 driver signed for McLaren, for the 2021 season, nobody begrudged him (apart from Renault perhaps). Many had felt Ricciardo would replace the departing Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari, but instead, the Maranello outfit went with Carlos Sainz. Nevertheless, Ricciardo’s signing for Mclaren was seen as a step in the right direction for the Australian.

Daniel Ricciardo admits that it was not an easy decision to leave Renault so early

Will Buxton interviewed Ricciardo in an Instagram Live. Opening up on his decision to leave Renault, he said, “It was not an easy choice. But on the other hand, it’s not that I made the decision overnight. It’s just been a strange year and it still is.”

Ricciardo hinted that he wouldn’t have made the decision so early, had the races gone on as scheduled. He said, “It’s good to have some time to think about the future, but at the same time, all that time to think makes it harder. It is Bizzare that I made this decision, since we have only tested once this year in Barcelona. Ideally, I would have driven a couple of races before I made a decision.”

However, he has already made the decision, and to most, it would seem to be the right one. The McLaren car was the best, outside of the top three, last year. Whereas the Renault car was plagued with reliability and aerodynamic issues. Despite that, Daniel Ricciardo showcased some really solid performances. His best race last season took place in Italy, where he finished 4th on the grid after qualifying in 5th place. It was also Renault’s highest points tally in a single race last year, as Nico Hulkenberg finished in 5th place.

Daniel Ricciardo still has another season to race in a Renault livery, and he would want to leave on a high, but can Renault give him a car that allows him to do so? We’ll soon find out.