Daniel Ricciardo and Renault will part ways at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after only two years together. But the Australian believes it has been two instructive seasons in the team’s history – and says Renault has gained confidence in the past 24 months.
Ricciardo was one of the standout performers of the upgraded Renault in 2020 after finishing on the podium at the Eifel and Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this season – Renault was the first since his return as a designer in 2016, while Esteban Ocon added another at the Sakhir Grand Prix last weekend.
READ MORE: Delighted Ocon reflects the “difficult journey” to first podium after second place in Sakhir
Before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Ricciardo asked how different the Renault team was now from the one he had sensationally swapped Red Bull for in 2019. He replied, “I can definitely see some differences and I think some positive ones. I’m certainly not going to sit here saying all of that, not at all, but I believe that the team I went to early last year is now a different team.
“I’ve seen the team grow with confidence, confidence and facts. Facts are facts. You’ve obviously built a better car in the past 12 months. You can see that on paper, but as far as the atmosphere in the team is concerned, I certainly see a positive change and that was really nice. I don’t know how much of this is due to me, but I certainly felt that I was trying to create something or to change something for the better. “
READ MORE: Why Ricciardo has put his future on McLaren – instead of sticking to Renault
Ricciardo feels that Renault is offering a different atmosphere
In the meantime, he highlighted the 2019 Australian Grand Prix as his greatest memory of his time on the team. The race was not a happy one for either side. Ricciardo crashed at the start before the damage finally forced his resignation. After the weekend, he complained that Renault’s media and sponsorship commitments at his home race hadn’t allowed him to properly prepare for the Grand Prix.
READ MORE: The Inner Steel Behind Ricciardo’s Smile – And Why McLaren Wanted It
Precisely because of this, Ricciardo said that the rude awakening of the race in Melbourne – after five seasons with the leading Red Bull team – was an important event in the shared history of him and Renault.
“To be honest, I’ll keep the memory of my first race last year,” he said, “because I felt a little frustrated all weekend, obviously with the race itself, but with everything. It was a hit like “Okay, we still have a lot to do”.
“Now I look back and see how much we have changed, how much we have improved, how much more trust we all have in the team, I think. This feels like ages ago, but I think it’s important to remember because it’s really just evidence of what we did.
“Obviously the Nürburgring is the outstanding one,” added Ricciardo. “The first podium and a couple of F-bombs from Cyril [Abiteboul, Renault Team Principal], that was great. Everyone loved it, it was just great. “
READ MORE: The Eifel GP podium “felt like the first one again,” says Ricciardo
Once the checkered flag is hoisted in Abu Dhabi, Ricciardo will turn his attention to his new challenge with McLaren as Fernando Alonso takes his place at Renault – which is slated to be renamed Alpine from next year.
Ricciardo still has a lot to do, however, as the fifth Renault is still making a long attempt this weekend to get P3 in the constructors’ championship. The team is 22 points behind Racing Point – and 12 points behind their future McLaren squad.
