Horner: Ricciardo Could Have Been Champion With Red Bull

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has suggested the team failed to provide Daniel Ricciardo with a title-winning car during his peak years, implying the Australian could have been a Formula 1 world champion. Ricciardo's tenure at Milton Keynes coincided with Mercedes' dominance, and he ultimately left the team in 2018 without achieving his ultimate goal.

Why it matters:

Horner's candid reflection offers a significant 'what if' in recent F1 history, placing partial responsibility for Ricciardo's missing championship on the team's inability to produce a competitive car during the driver's prime. It reframes the narrative around Ricciardo's legacy and Red Bull's own developmental timeline during the turbo-hybrid era.

The details:

• Ricciardo joined Red Bull in 2014 and immediately outperformed four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, establishing himself as a top-tier driver.
• He won seven races with the team but his peak performance years (2014-2018) overlapped with Mercedes' most dominant period.
• The internal dynamic shifted with the arrival of Max Verstappen in 2016. While Ricciardo outscored Verstappen in two of their three seasons together, the Dutchman's explosive debut signaled Red Bull's future direction.
• A pivotal clash with Verstappen at the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, after which Ricciardo felt unfairly blamed by the team, contributed to his decision to leave for Renault.
• Red Bull's competitive machinery arrived only after Ricciardo's departure, with Verstappen winning four consecutive titles from 2021.

What's next:

Horner's comments come as he prepares for a speaking tour in Australia, Ricciardo's home country. While the past cannot be changed, the acknowledgment highlights the critical alignment of driver talent, team performance, and timing required to win a championship. Ricciardo, who retired at the end of 2024, leaves the sport with a legacy as one of its most charismatic and genuinely fast drivers, whose championship window was ultimately defined by factors beyond his direct control.