RICCIARDO OFF TO RENAULT
DANIEL RICCIARDO has stunned Red Bull by telling them he is leaving to join Renault on a two-year deal. The 29-year-old Australian, who had been in talks with the French works team behind Red Bull’s back, will earn about £20million a year from next season. Ricciardo broke the news to Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, in a telephone call on Thursday afternoon. That came as such a surprise that Horner initially thought he was joking. Ricciardo had even agreed terms to stay at Red Bull, having spoken at length to owner Dietrich Mateschitz during last month’s Austrian Grand Prix. Indeed, Ricciardo had pre-recorded footage confirming a renewal of his contract that was due to be aired before the next race in Spa on August 26. Sportsmail, who broke the news on MailOnline yesterday, understands Red Bull had acceded to the driver’s wish to have only a one-year contract, whereas they wanted him to sign for longer. But he was already in covert discussions with Renault, where he will partner Nico Hulkenberg. That means Carlos Sainz is free to leave and the Spaniard is talking with McLaren, who also had been keen to sign Ricciardo. There is a view within Red Bull that Ricciardo is running away from team-mate Max Verstappen, who was rewarded with a hugely-improved deal last season and declared as the driver they would build the team around. Ricciardo said: ‘It was one of the most difficult decisions of my career but I thought it was time for a new challenge.’ Red Bull could go for Fernando Alonso from McLaren but will more likely plump for Pierre Gasly, who is impressing at Toro Rosso.