A few weeks on from Daniel Ricciardo's shock departure and Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is still unsure why the Australian left. He doesn't expect to Ricciardo on the top step of the podium in the "near-future" as his frustrations show through.
Ricciardo had recorded a video in Austria which would be used to announce his Red Bull contract extension. But at the last moment, he threw in a curveball.
“I cannot understand the change. That was a very strange story. The negotiations were difficult. On Wednesday before the Austrian Grand Prix, I sat together with him for two hours and we agreed. Then during the Grand Prix weekend, there were some improvements for him," Marko told Red Bull's Servus TV.
“In Hungary, he said to both me and Mr Mateschitz that everything fits and that he will sign on Tuesday at the test. He did not do that. On Thursday afternoon I got a call. He was so funny in the voice. I told him: ‘Get to the point! We are adults.’ Then he said: ‘I’m going to Renault.’
“I can only assume that he does not believe in the Honda project and that Renault offered him a very high amount. But I think more shoeys will be hard for him in the near future.”
Some hard hitting words from Marko. You can tell he's not happy with Ricciardo and his final nine races with the team will be fascinating. Could we see him playing second fiddle to Verstappen for the remainder of the season?
