Daniel Ricciardo has taken the call to leave the Redbull Formula One team for Renault. The Australian champ will race with the Renault Team from 2019 and has signed a two-year contract. His initial plan was to shift to Ferrari or Mercedes, but the opportunity was shortlived.
“It was probably one of the most difficult decisions to take in my career so far,” he said in a statement released by Renault.
However in his past, Renault has also played a role in shaping his racing career. Before F1, Ricciardo had raced the Formula Renault 2.0 and World Series by Renault 3.5 series, while all seven of his Grand Prix wins were in Renault-powered cars.
“Daniel’s signing underscores our determination to accelerate our progress towards the forefront of the sport.” said Cyril Abiteboul, managing director of the team.
Daniel Ricciardo will race alongside Nico Hulkenberg for the Renault team, while Carlos Sainz is planning to make a switch from Redbull to McLaren.