AGREEMENT VIOLATED: Helmut Marko Claims Daniel Ricciardo Broke “Handshake Agreement” Before Red Bull Exit
In a surprising revelation, Helmut Marko, the Red Bull Racing senior advisor, has claimed that Daniel Ricciardo violated a “handshake agreement” prior to his unexpected departure from the team in 2018. Ricciardo’s exit to Renault came as a shock to many, and it appears that there were behind-the-scenes promises that were left unfulfilled, resulting in lingering tensions between the two parties.
Marko, a key figure in Red Bull’s motorsport operations, discussed the situation in an interview, indicating that Ricciardo’s decision to leave was contrary to what had been previously agreed upon between the driver and the team. According to Marko, Ricciardo had verbally committed to staying with Red Bull for the 2019 season, but ultimately chose to move on, leaving the team scrambling for a replacement.
“Daniel had given us his word,” Marko said. “We had a handshake agreement that he would stay with us for at least another season. We were ready to continue providing him with a competitive car, and the future looked promising. But out of nowhere, he decided to go to Renault, and it left us in a difficult position.”
At the time of Ricciardo’s departure, Red Bull had just begun transitioning to Honda engines, a move that was seen as a major gamble given Honda’s mixed record in Formula 1. Marko suggested that Ricciardo’s decision was motivated by uncertainty over the Honda power unit, despite assurances from the team that they believed in the partnership. Renault, on the other hand, offered a more stable, if less competitive, option at the time.
Ricciardo’s departure meant that Red Bull had to promote Pierre Gasly, who had only one full season of F1 experience under his belt, to the senior team. Gasly struggled to meet expectations during the first half of the 2019 season and was eventually replaced by Alex Albon. Marko hinted that Ricciardo’s sudden departure was partly to blame for the instability Red Bull experienced in the following seasons, as the team was forced to reshuffle its driver lineup several times before eventually settling on Sergio Pérez.
Ricciardo has since spoken about his decision to leave Red Bull, citing a desire for a new challenge and an attempt to step out of the shadow of then-teammate Max Verstappen. However, the move to Renault, and subsequently to McLaren, did not bring the success that the Australian driver had hoped for.
Marko’s recent comments suggest that there are still unresolved feelings about how Ricciardo left the team. Despite the “handshake agreement” that Marko claims was in place, Ricciardo’s decision to pursue other opportunities left a void at Red Bull during a critical transition period.