HÜLKENBERG vs. RICCIARDO
BATTLE NO 4 The biggest surprise within the driver market was created by Daniel Ricciardo (le ) choosing to leave Red Bull (with whom he won five Grands Prix) to join Renault (with just two fi h places to its name over the past few seasons). The Australian has talked about wanting a new challenge a er eight years in the Red Bull driver programme, but the subtext surely has to be the need to leave a team increasingly built round Max Verstappen.
You would also think suering numerous grid penalties and retirements because of Renault’s fragility would have ruled against Ricciardo throwing in his lot with the French manufacturer. On the other hand, he could have noted the beer running record of the works team and concluded Renault’s apparent weakness had actually been caused by the notorious shrink-wrap installation favoured by Red Bull designer Adrian Newey.
More tangible persuasion has been the continuing growth at Renault and its latest move into an expansion of its English headquarters, all of this based on a solid and experienced group of racers harking back to championshipwinning days a decade ago.
Ricciardo’s arrival has given the team an enormous boost. Apart from such a public vote of faith, it also means the creation of a powerful driver-line up as Nico Hülkenberg, aware of Ricciardo’s reputation as one of the best overtakers in F1, will raise his already substantial game even further and aempt to break the bogey of never having scored a podium in more than 150 aempts.
As dark horses go, there are few beer than the team in black and yellow.