Webber: "He’s going to feel that again, I think, at McLaren next year"

If we are to believe Mark Webber, Daniel Ricciardo carried the Renault team in 2020. The Australian driver who exchanged Renault for McLaren after 2020 finished fifth in the standings, six places higher than his team mate Esteban Ocon.

Thanks to Ricciardo, Renault returned to the podium in 2020 for the first time since its Formula 1 comeback in 2016. "I think he drove awesome this year", says Webber of his compatriot at Speedcafe.com. "I’ve actually personally spent more time with Daniel than ever this year and it’s been quite good to see [how] he’s enjoyed this year.

"[It is] not [because of] less pressure, but just because he really felt valued at the team and he’s going to feel that again, I think, at McLaren next year," the former Red Bull Racing driver continues. According to Webber, that's a completely different environment than Ricciardo knew at Red Bull.

"He’s an infectious character, he lifted Enstone, they really did a good job, he carried the team effectively this year, made very little errors, and he’ll take that to McLaren," the nine-time Grand Prix winner continues.

Webber thinks Ricciardo deserves a seat on a top team and should be able to fight for podiums again. "We need him more towards the front. He’s a guy that needs to be on the podiums; he celebrates success, he celebrates what our sport, in essence, should be about," concludes Webber.