Horner: "Even without Red Bull hat I don't understand Ricciardo's logic"

Christian Horner still doesn't understand why Daniel Ricciardo made the decision not to renew his contract with Red Bull Racing after the 2018 season. The British chief says he was unaware that the Australian was dissatisfied with his treatment within the Austrian team.

“I was disappointed at the time because I’d put a lot into trying to retain Daniel and get him to stay", Horner said in the podcast In The Pink. The team boss doesn't understand the Perth driver's decision to this day. "I just couldn’t understand his decision-making and if I take off my Red Bull hat I couldn’t understand his logic behind the move that he made. If it was for Mercedes or Ferrari I could have understood that”, he explains.

Ricciardo and Max Verstappen got along very well, although of course it was noticeable that the tension increased over the years. According to the now 30-year old driver, Verstappen was a bit ahead of Red Bull, but Horner was never informed of this. "It was a shame because there was a great dynamic between the drivers. I was not aware of any frustration or favouritism he felt existed within the team."

Departure Ricciardo because of Verstappen?

Horner finds it especially strange because the subject has been discussed several times, but Ricciardo didn't hint. "It’s something we talked about a lot over the years," continues Horner, who thinks Ricciardo needed a new environment. "He was a competitive driver but he obviously felt that he needed a change, he needed a stimulus and the Max factor for sure was an element in his decision-making."