Ricciardo grateful Red Bull made his retirement decision

Daniel Ricciardo says he’s grateful Red Bull and its junior squad Racing Bulls took the reins on his retirement, a decision he believes would have been hard for him to make on his own.

Why it matters:

• The move ends a turbulent five‑year stretch that saw Ricciardo leave Red Bull, jump to Renault, then McLaren, before returning to the Red Bull family.
• It highlights the emotional toll of constant team changes and a recent hand injury that limited his performance at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix.
• Ricciardo’s honesty may influence how teams handle driver exits, balancing respect for a driver’s legacy with performance realities.

The details:

• 2018: Ricciardo departs Red Bull after a strained relationship with teammate Max Verstappen.
• 2019–2020: Signs with Renault, but leaves after one season for McLaren.
• 2021–2023: Struggles at McLaren; returns to Red Bull’s junior team, Racing Bulls, for eight races.
• 2023 Dutch GP: Hand injury sidelines him, exposing fitness concerns.
• 2024: Racing Bulls decide to part ways, effectively ending his F1 career.
• In the Jim Farley podcast, Ricciardo admits he was “let go” twice in two years and that the final decision saved him from a harder personal choice.

What's next:

Ricciardo says his retirement year gave him space to reflect and find peace. He hints at staying involved in motorsport, possibly through testing, driver coaching, or ambassador roles, but stresses he wants to “close the door” on full‑time racing for now.