Helmut Marko believes Daniel Ricciardo misplaced his “killer intuition” within the years away from Purple Bull as he defined the Australian’s RB exit.
On Thursday, it was confirmed Ricciardo has been changed at Purple Bull’s RB crew 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 tip of a 14-year stint in F1 for 35-year-old Ricciardo, who’s now mulling over his future in racing.
As a Purple Bull junior, Ricciardo rose by means of the ranks to compete for the principle crew between 2014 and 2018 and he turned one in every of F1’s standout performers throughout that period, accumulating seven wins alongside Sebastian Vettel after which a quickly rising Max Verstappen.
Ricciardo was persuaded by Renault crew boss Cyril Abiteboul to make the leap to the Enstone-based crew for 2019, however struggled to repeat his Purple 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 making an attempt to adapt to the crew’s equipment, earlier than being minimize free one 12 months earlier than the tip of his deal in 2022.
Talking solely to Motorsport.com’s sister web site Motorsport-Complete.com, Marko stated he believes Ricciardo’s profession by no means recovered from leaving Purple Bull within the first place, and says the Australian has misplaced his “killer intuition” alongside the way in which.
Daniel Ricciardo, RB F1 Group VCARB 01
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
“I believe the choice to go away Purple Bull Racing was the turning level in his profession,” Marko stated. “Then he did not have a successful automobile at both Renault or McLaren. He did win at Monza, however these had been particular circumstances.
“I do not know what precisely occurred, as a result of if we knew, we’d 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 nevertheless it was not there, the killer intuition was gone.”
Marko believes query marks over his standing alongside Verstappen and the energy of Purple Bull’s Honda energy models each performed a component in Ricciardo leaving Purple 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 provided him and what we provided.
“I additionally informed him: ‘Shoeys might be laborious for you’. I do not suppose we have seen Renault on the rostrum quite a bit.
“He got here to us, beating Vettel with three-to-zero victories in 2014 and after that, Daniil Kvyat was sooner than him at occasions, however over the season he additionally had him beneath management.
“After which Max got here and he bought 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 elements 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 constantly and never on the stage that will have justified him coming to Purple Bull Racing, however that was an impeccable efficiency.
“I believe it was clearly communicated that he needs to be considerably higher than Yuki Tsunoda and he solely managed that in a number of races, so it was clear that this story of the prodigal son rejoining Purple Bull Racing sadly did not work out.
“He stated very properly that he’s at peace with himself, and he has come to phrases with the scenario and we’ll see what his plans for the long run are.”
