His spell at Red Bull showcased incredible peaks — multiple race wins, bold overtakes, and a charismatic presence — but it also revealed internal tensions, strategic decisions, and long-term ambitions that influenced his departure. In hindsight, Ricciardo’s Red Bull career offers a clear look at how timing, team dynamics, and development direction can shape a driver’s trajectory.

Early Promise at Red Bull

Ricciardo joined Red Bull’s senior team in 2014 after three seasons learning his craft at HRT and Toro Rosso. His promotion came at a transitional moment: Red Bull was moving from Sebastian Vettel’s dominant era into the beginning of Mercedes’ turbo-hybrid reign. Expectations were high but realistic — the team was no longer the clear favorite, yet still competitive enough to give Ricciardo a platform to shine.

And shine he did. In his first year, Ricciardo delivered one of the most impressive debut seasons in Red Bull history. He claimed three wins — in Canada, Hungary, and Belgium — becoming the only non-Mercedes driver to win a race that season. He also outperformed four-time world champion Vettel in qualifying and race results, firmly establishing himself as a top-tier talent. The team viewed him as a future title contender, and fans quickly embraced his fearless driving style and light-hearted personality.

The Arrival of Max Verstappen

Everything changed in 2016 when Red Bull made the bold decision to promote Max Verstappen to the senior team after just four races. Verstappen won on his debut with Red Bull in Spain, instantly becoming the sport’s most hyped young driver since Lewis Hamilton.

For Ricciardo, the arrival of Verstappen brought both competition and complexity. The pair formed one of the most competitive driver lineups on the grid, pushing each other to new levels. Ricciardo won in Malaysia in 2016 and continued to perform strongly through 2017, securing victories in Azerbaijan and achieving podiums throughout the season.

However, the dynamic between the two quickly shifted. Red Bull began building more of its long-term philosophy around Verstappen, who was younger, viewed as a generational talent, and aligned with the team’s future ambitions. Ricciardo remained competitive — often beating Verstappen across full seasons — but the internal balance was tilting.

Reliability Issues and Growing Frustrations

As the hybrid era progressed, Red Bull struggled with power unit reliability. Using Renault engines, the team suffered repeated failures that cost Ricciardo multiple strong results. Between 2017 and 2018, Ricciardo experienced significantly more mechanical retirements than Verstappen, many of them while running in podium or race-winning positions.

These problems came to a head in 2018. While Ricciardo’s win in China showcased his brilliance — a masterclass of overtaking and strategic execution — the season soon became defined by reliability setbacks. He retired eight times that year, more than any front-running driver. Losing potential podiums and victories contributed to growing frustration, particularly as Verstappen faced fewer technical issues.

Another flashpoint emerged at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Ricciardo and Verstappen collided while battling for position, prompting criticism of the team’s handling of the situation. Many observers believed the team’s internal environment increasingly favored Verstappen, something Ricciardo later acknowledged played a role in his decision-making.

Honda Switch and Daniel Ricciardo’s Departure

For 2019, Red Bull planned a major transition: leaving Renault and switching to Honda engines. While the partnership ultimately proved successful, it represented a period of uncertainty at the time. Ricciardo had spent years dealing with Renault power unit issues at both Red Bull and Toro Rosso, making him skeptical about starting from scratch with a new supplier.

Contract negotiations in 2018 were tense. Red Bull offered Ricciardo an extension, but the terms reportedly did not reflect the status he believed he had earned. Meanwhile, Renault — desperate for a proven race winner to lead its factory team — offered a lucrative multi-year deal.

Ricciardo shocked the F1 world by signing with Renault for 2019, ending his Red Bull chapter after five seasons, seven wins, and countless iconic overtakes.

Where It Went Wrong

Several factors contributed to the breakdown of Ricciardo’s Red Bull career:

• The rise of Verstappen fundamentally reshaped team priorities, making Ricciardo feel increasingly like the second long-term option.

• Persistent reliability issues cost him results and undermined his confidence in Red Bull’s trajectory.

• The Renault–Honda uncertainty made Red Bull’s future direction feel risky.

• Contractual and political frustrations left Ricciardo feeling undervalued within the organisation.

In isolation, none of these factors would have been definitive. Combined, they created an environment where a fresh start seemed the best path forward.

Ricciardo’s Red Bull stint remains a case of enormous talent intersecting with shifting team priorities. It brought spectacular highs and career-defining moments, but also challenges that ultimately pushed him away. Had circumstances been different — fewer failures, clearer support, or a different timing in Verstappen’s rise — Ricciardo’s Red Bull legacy might have been even greater.

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Ricciardo is among the drivers being discussed as a potential successor to Lewis Hamilton for the upcoming season.

However, it is widely anticipated that Ricciardo will remain within the Red Bull fold, especially given Helmut Marko’s assertion that Ricciardo is “not available” for a switch to Mercedes.

There is speculation that Ricciardo may be considering a reunion with Max Verstappen at Red Bull, particularly if Sergio Perez’s performance fails to meet expectations.

READ: Martin Brundle makes massive claim about Charles Leclerc defeating Lewis Hamilton

Addressing the speculation surrounding his future, Ricciardo spoke following the unveiling of Visa Cash App RB’s 2024 F1 car.

“At this point in my career, I’m not focusing too far ahead,” Ricciardo remarked. “Looking ahead feels like inching closer to the end. So, it’s more important for me to stay present and take each race as it comes.”

He acknowledged Mercedes’ position, stating, “They are not in a hurry, so they will evaluate everyone’s performance, the driver market, and so forth. It’s a prudent stance for them to take.”

Ricciardo also expressed contentment with not being embroiled in the frenetic speculation surrounding the “silly season,” particularly at this early stage of the season.

READ: Esteban Ocon speaks out on Mick Schumacher returning to Formula 1

While maintaining a sense of ambition, Ricciardo stressed the importance of remaining realistic, stating, “You have to set high goals, but after being in this sport for so long, you also have to temper expectations to avoid potential disappointment.”

He outlined his objectives, targeting top-five finishes and potential podium appearances, acknowledging the progress made last season and aiming to build upon it further.

Ricciardo remains optimistic about the possibilities, stating, “I believe top-five finishes are achievable, perhaps even in the first half of the season.”

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Ricciardo returned to Red Bull as their development driver at the start of 2023 following the termination of his deal at McLaren; however, he found himself in a race seat again mid-season.

The eight-time Formula 1 race winner was chosen as Nyck de Vries’ replacement at AlphaTauri – known now as Visa Cash App RB (VCARB) – and performed well enough to be offered the seat for 2024.

Ricciardo has settled back into the Red Bull sister team extremely well and is viewed as a great person to have in the side following their rebrand.

READ: Felipe Massa told he has ‘personal right’ to take Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 title

It’s no secret, though, that Ricciardo has bigger ambitions than racing for VCARB, as he’s openly admitted that he wants to race for Red Bull again.

With Sergio Perez being out of contract at the conclusion of 2024, a strong season for Ricciardo could put him in with a shot of promotion for the second time in his F1 career.

Regardless of whether Red Bull promote him in 2025 or not, Marko has stressed that Mercedes are not allowed to poach the Australian to replace Lewis Hamilton, who is leaving the Silver Arrows at the end of this year.

Hamilton is switching to Ferrari for 2025 after signing a “multi-year” contract, which will take him into the new power unit regulations in 2026 with the Italians.

Mercedes will likely want a big name to replace the seven-time World Champion, something Ricciardo certainly is.

However, it won’t be the 34-year-old alongside George Russell at Mercedes in 2025.

READ: Who will replace Lewis Hamilton in 2025?

“Ricciardo still has a long-term contract and is not available (for Mercedes),” Marko told publication F1 Insider.

The main drivers to have been linked with Hamilton’s seat so far are Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso, with all three being without a contract currently for 2025.

Despite being without a deal, Albon and Alonso will both stand a great chance of being offered a new deal by their current teams, whilst Sainz must find a new team as it’s him who Hamilton is replacing.

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Tost has opted to finally retire, having led the Faenza-based squad since they entered the Formula 1 grid in 2006.

He’s seen an incredible amount since then, with Ricciardo being hopeful that Tost can “enjoy putting his feet up”.

Having first raced for Red Bull’s sister team back in 2012, a time when he was just a young driver looking to make his mark in the pinnacle of motorsport.

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Ricciardo remembers his first interaction with Tost well and how he entered the former team boss’ office “with a smile”, resulting in a comical look from Tost.

In many ways, Ricciardo believes Tost is similar to Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko, in that both men helped him “mature a little quicker and ultimately grow up”.

The eight-time F1 race winner also revealed how Tost used to get so involved “in every debrief”, simply because racing is “his passion”.

Tost not leading AlphaTauri is certainly going to be very strange and will take the team some time to get used to.

“I’d say tremendously. I think for the team, he’s been everything, obviously starting off in the Toro Rosso days, or my first full season in F1,” Ricciardo said, as per the official F1 website.

“I remember quite vividly the first meeting I had in his office and I kind of bounced in with a smile. I think he looked at me like… He tried to prepare me for what’s ahead. It’s a serious sport and it’s a tough old world.

“I think he was very honest with me as well, but it made me… A little bit the same as with [Red Bull advisor] Helmut [Marko], it kind of made me mature a little quicker and ultimately grow up.”

READ: Mercedes told beating Ferrari was right thing to do

Ricciardo continued: “I think Franz has always been really involved. He’s in every debrief, he’ll normally speak as well in debriefs and give some analysis or advice or anything he’s seen. He’s fully involved in it and it’s his passion.

“It’s been everything that’s kind of given him drive for so many years. I hope he can enjoy putting his feet up a little bit next year. I’m not sure fully what that’s going to entail for him, but I really hope he’s able to enjoy some R&R.”

For 2024, Tost has been replaced by ex-Ferrari race director Laurent Mekies, who has never been a team principal before.

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The Faenza-based side had started the 2023 season with Yuki Tsunoda and rookie Nyck de Vries, although the latter significantly struggled in the opening rounds.

Pressure was quickly applied onto De Vries, before it became crystal clear that he’d be sacked if he failed to improve.

Bayer joined AlphaTauri during De Vries’ struggles, resulting in him making a ‘Plan B’ in case a new driver was needed.

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At the time, Ricciardo was Red Bull’s development driver, a role he accepted for 2023 after having his contract terminated at McLaren.

Bayer was certain that Ricciardo would be an excellent driver to replace De Vries, given the “positive impact” he’d have on the team.

However, Red Bull and advisor Dr Helmut Marko were initially against letting the Australian leave for De Vries’ seat, although they eventually allowed the move to happen after the British Grand Prix.

Ricciardo completed a successful test at Silverstone after the British GP for Red Bull, which confirmed to the Austrians that he was still quick enough for a seat on the grid.

“When I started, I always looked a bit and thought to myself, ‘If Nyck de Vries doesn’t make it in terms of performance, then Daniel would be a great solution for us’,” Bayer told Motorsport Magazin.

“Why? Daniel has experience, so he helps us with the setup on all the routes. Daniel is a real reference for Yuki [Tsunoda]. He brought an incredible amount of new energy into the team within a week.

“Our mechanics were happy, ‘Hey, wow, something is happening!’ The transition wasn’t easy, but at the end of the day it had such a positive impact. Originally it was said, ‘No, Daniel is a reserve driver at Red Bull and it stays that way’.

“And then over the course of a month we actually kept asking how things were going. At some point Christian Horner came to us and said, ‘We’re doing the test at Silverstone, maybe we’ll take a look at it’. Then Helmut [Marko] said, ‘Yes, why not?'”

READ: Lewis Hamilton: 2023 struggles has ‘strengthened my resilience’

Bayer went onto explain how driver line-ups are discussed between Red Bull and AlphaTauri, with Marko ultimately having the final call on Ricciardo returning to the sister squad.

“Everyone really sits at the same table,” Bayer revealed.

“There were discussions in which [Red Bull projects chief] Oliver Mintzlaff was involved, [outgoing AlphaTauri team principal] Franz Tost was of course involved in a leading role, but Christian Horner was also at the table at one point. Ultimately, the decision is made by Helmut Marko – it will stay that way.”

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As has become tradition, the drivers – except Lewis Hamilton – took part in secret Santa, with Perez having been selected to give a present to the driver after his seat.

Formula 1 filmed the drivers opening their presents during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which took place at the end of November.

However, Perez’s gift to Ricciardo was delivered late, leaving him unhappy.

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“It came late,” Ricciardo jokingly complained.

“So I’ve got a bone to pick with whoever selected it.”

Once Ricciardo unwrapped the present, he was no longer unhappy, as Checo had gifted him a limited-edition bottle of his own tequila brand.

It turns out Ricciardo is a big tequila fan, meaning the present went down very well.

“Thank you Checo,” Ricciardo said. “I do like tequila very much.”

Given that Ricciardo wants Perez’s seat in 2025, it’s fairly comical that it was the Red Bull driver who was chosen to give a present to the eight-time race winner.

Ricciardo has openly admitted that returning to Red Bull would be the perfect way to end his F1 career, with team principal Christian Horner being more than aware of the 34-year-old’s intentions.

Most expect Ricciardo to return to Red Bull in 2025, if he performs well for AlphaTauri next season.

Perez’s contract with the Milton Keynes-based squad expires at the end of 2024 and is so far no expected to be extended.

Some ponder whether Red Bull are planning on giving Ricciardo a one-year deal for 2025, leaving a seat available for 2026 potentially for Lando Norris.

Norris has been linked to Red Bull for years now and is viewed as a driver who could match Max Verstappen.

READ: Lewis Hamilton denied Mercedes bonus

Whilst Ricciardo briefly matched Verstappen when they were team-mates from the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix to the end of 2018, he struggled to do it consistently.

The same can be said for Perez, who particularly in 2023 was often considerably slower than the three-time World Champion.

Perez being selected to be Ricciardo’s secret Santa is a sign that there is no tension between them, at least for now.

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Perez’s future was a huge talking point during the recently completed season, as his poor mid-campaign performances raised doubts over if he could support the team going forwards.

It led to suggestions that Red Bull would opt to not respect the Mexican driver’s contract for 2024 and instead get Ricciardo back into the team.

This hasn’t happened, as Red Bull have stressed that Perez’s deal will be honoured; however, the door hasn’t been completely closed on Ricciardo.

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It was confirmed at the Japanese Grand Prix earlier this year that Ricciardo had been given a full-time seat at AlphaTauri for 2024, as the team were impressed with how he’d done since replacing Nyck de Vries.

As a result of Ricciardo being retained alongside Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson has been left on the bench for another season.

The whole situation does appear slightly odd, given that AlphaTauri are viewed as Red Bull’s junior team, yet it’s them who’ll be fielding the oldest driver.

At 34 years old, Ricciardo is older than both Verstappen and Perez and is certainly not a junior driver, whilst at 21 years old, Lawson very much is.

Albers believes AlphaTauri giving Ricciardo a full-time deal is part of Horner’s plan to get the Australian driver back into Red Bull to replace Perez, something which some have suggested could happen mid-season if Checo struggles.

This would then make sense as to why Lawson has been kept as reserve driver, given that Ricciardo would then leave a space open at AlphaTauri.

READ: Christian Horner and Toto Wolff embrace

Albers doesn’t think Perez would accept a demotion to AlphaTauri if replaced by Ricciardo, as his “ego is too big”.

“I have the feeling that Horner is clearly trying to get Ricciardo next to Max (Verstappen) again,” Albers told RTL GP Magazine, “even though (Sergio) Perez has a watertight contract.

“That’s why they’re keeping (Liam) Lawson in the background, because Perez’s ego is too big to go back to Alpha Tauri.”

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The iconic Twin Ring Motegi circuit plays host to both Super Formula and MotoGP, whilst it’s also usually used for the special day, where Honda athletes all come together in front of fans.

With Honda being Red Bull’s and AlphaTauri’s powertrain supplier, Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda were present.

Two-time Indy 500 winner and ex-F1 driver Takuma Sato and eight-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez were also in attendance.

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One of the activities which takes place at the event is a go-karting race, which is where Ricciardo decided to cause complete chaos.

The Australian driver opted to complete cut a corner, so that he got take Verstappen out at the following turn.

Verstappen dropped to last as a result and joked after the race that his former teammate “decided to be a terrorist”.

“It started off quite well but then Daniel decided to be a terrorist,” Verstappen said, as reported by The Express. “He was literally trying to kill everyone out there.”

It was a brutal way of stopping Verstappen, who only failed to win three times in 2023.

Verstappen was victorious in 19 of the 22 races, which saw him cruise to a third consecutive Drivers’ Championship with ease.

His 575 points would’ve been enough for Red Bull to lift the Constructors’ Championship without requiring Perez’s points, highlighting the Dutchman’s dominance.

After he won the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen thanked Red Bull for the “incredible year” and admitted that it’ll be “very hard” to replicate his 2023 performance.

READ: Helmut Marko addresses retirement rumours

“I have to say thanks to everyone at Red Bull it’s been an incredible year. It will be hard to do something similar, but we definitely enjoyed this year,” Verstappen said.

“It will be very hard to have another season like this, we know that. You always want to do better, but doing better is not always race wins and winning the championship.

“We are working hard for next year for a very competitive car. For sure all the other teams want to try and beat us next year, but we are ready for the battle and in the meantime, we’re going to enjoy this year as well.”

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The AlphaTauri driver revealed during last weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that “it was 50/50” as to whether the 2022 finale would be his last race in Formula 1, given the way he was feeling.

Ricciardo had fallen out of love with F1 and felt like he needed time away, which is why he accepted the development driver role with Red Bull.

He felt like Red Bull was the right place to try and rediscover his love for F1, before hopefully returning to the grid in 2024.

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Of course, his return came much sooner than he ever expected, after he was chosen as the driver to replace the axed Nyck de Vries after the British Grand Prix.

Ricciardo didn’t turn down the opportunity and performed valiantly, to the point that he was immediately challenging teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

However, the 34-year-old found himself back on the bench after Free Practice at the Dutch Grand Prix, where he fractured a metacarpal in his left hand.

This resulted in him missing several races, before eventually returning at the United States Grand Prix.

To his relief, he was just as quick once he returned to racing for the second time and played a key role in helping AlphaTauri claim eighth in the Constructors’ Championship.

He did so well in fact, that he was given a deal to remain at the Faenza-based side in 2024.

READ: Liam Lawson to take huge Red Bull ‘gamble’

Whilst McLaren terminating his contract has ultimately worked out in his favour, Ricciardo’s current future could look so different had he made a different decision after the 2022 finale.

“Sitting here a year ago, I was like ‘could this be my last race?’” Ricciardo told media including PlanetF1.com at the season finale. “I don’t exaggerate when I say that. I really didn’t know. I honestly thought it was 50/50.

“So to have the year I’ve had and forget the hand [injury]. I just kind of feel a little bit reborn again. I feel re-energised and I’ve definitely got a second wind.”

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Ricciardo raced for Red Bull from 2014 until the end of 2018, when he departed the side to join Renault after becoming disgruntled reportedly at how Max Verstappen was being favoured.

Whilst he did well at Renault, he was never fighting for victories, something he was often doing when racing for the Milton Keynes-based side.

As a result, he moved to McLaren at the start of 2021, a move which almost ended his F1 career.

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He did at least return to winning ways at the Italian Grand Prix that season but his performances were more often than not poor throughout 2021 and 2022.

Because of this, McLaren terminated his contract which left Ricciardo with no choice but to take a sabbatical.

Being resigned by Red Bull as their development driver for 2023 ultimately saved his career, as he was chosen to replace Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri mid-season, after the Dutch driver was sacked.

Since returning to the grid, Ricciardo has been brilliant and like his old self, something most thought wasn’t possible.

Prior to returning to the grid, he was mostly spoken about in the media in a negative light, given how his career had just gone downhill since leaving Red Bull the first time.

“I think 12 months ago a lot of the rumours were normally negative,” Ricciardo said, as reported by GrandPrix.com.

Five years on from his Red Bull exit, he’s now heavily rumoured with a return to racing for the side, alongside Verstappen.

Whilst Sergio Perez is contracted for 2024, it’s widely expected that Ricciardo will replace him in 2025 or potentially even mid-2024, should the Mexican driver fail to perform.

Ricciardo admits that he never thought he’d ever be linked to Red Bull again, after the last 18 months he’s had.

“Whether it’s a rumour or not, I would never have thought 12 to 18 months ago that it would ever be said that I one day might return to Red Bull,” Ricciardo admitted.

READ: Alex Albon reveals Michael Schumacher tantrums

For the time being, it’s purely a rumour but a rumour which his bringing pleasure to Ricciardo, and certainly no “pressure at all”.

“Even though it’s just a rumour, I just didn’t think such a rumour could exist, so it makes me smile,” added the Aussie.

“I don’t see it as pressure at all. It just gives me a lot of courage that through the highs and lows, the ups and downs, if you stay on the straight and narrow, crazy things can happen.”

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