Daniel Ricciardo slammed for ‘selfish’ F1 decision ex-Renault boss is ‘taking badly’

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Former Renault team principal Cyril Abiteboul has now slammed Daniel Ricciardo for his ‘selfish’ decision to quit the Formula 1 outfit and sign with McLaren in early 2020.

The 34-year-old had only joined Renault for the 2019 season after five years racing with Red Bull. But Ricciardo decided to leave the French squad, now operating as Alpine, for McLaren for the 2021 season onward. Even though Formula 1 was still yet to race a single lap in 2020.

Ricciardo and McLaren announced his transfer to the Woking team in May 2020 after Ferrari poached Carlos Sainz for 2021 onward. The news broke amidst the delayed start to the 2020 F1 season owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, with Ricciardo agreeing to a three-year contract.

Ricciardo jumped to join McLaren but failed to get to grips

Ferrari started the dominoes when the Scuderia signed Sainz to replace Sebastian Vettel at Maranello. McLaren moved to replace the Spaniard with Ricciardo having wanted to hire the Australian before he signed for Renault. BBC Sport noted talks between them in June 2018.

But his eventual arrival at the McLaren Technology Centre did not bring lavish success to the Perth native’s door. While Ricciardo won the 2021 Italian GP, edging teammate Lando Norris, his jaunt at McLaren was a disaster. He never got to grips with their car and often struggled.

McLaren eventually paid Ricciardo £10m to terminate his contract in August 2022 and clear a route for Oscar Piastri to join for the 2023 season from Alpine’s driver academy. It marked the end of a relationship that never enjoyed sustained highs and just 37 points during 2022.

Abiteboul opens up on Ricciardo’s decision to leave Renault

Ricciardo had scored 115 points during his first season with McLaren after claiming 119 with Renault in 2020. He also sealed podium finishes at the 2020 Eifel and Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with the French team. Renault even ended 2020 fifth in the constructors’ championship.

But Ricciardo had already agreed to leave Renault for McLaren before relishing the progress the F1 team made in 2020. He based his decision on the French squad falling from fourth to fifth in the constructors’ standings from 2018 to 2019. A decision Abiteboul says was selfish.

“He makes his decision in April or May,” Abiteboul told the Dans La Boite a Gants podcast. “The world is at a standstill. We don’t know how we’re going to get back on track, if we’re going to get back on track.

“In fact, I think it’s a very early move, a bit selfish because, in the end, it will have given the team just one season’s chance. And so it’s true that it’s a decision that I’m taking badly.”

Abiteboul continued: “Of course because I can see that it’s a personal rejection. I take it completely personally. I accept it. And I can see what the consequences are going to be.”

Renault sacked Abiteboul in January 2021 ahead of rebranding its Formula 1 team as Alpine. He had overseen the entry since 2016 and also oversaw Renault’s first podium finishes with Ricciardo since returning to F1. Renault purchased Lotus to return as a constructor in 2016.