Helmut Marko believes Daniel Ricciardo misplaced his “killer intuition” within the years away from Pink Bull as he defined the Australian’s RB exit.
On Thursday, it was confirmed Ricciardo has been replaced at Red Bull’s RB team for the rest of 2024 by reserve driver Liam Lawson, with the New Zealander becoming a member of Yuki Tsunoda from Austin’s US Grand Prix onwards.
The information all however marks the top of a 14-year stint in F1 for 35-year-old Ricciardo, who’s now mulling over his future in racing.
As a Pink Bull junior, Ricciardo rose by means of the ranks to compete for the primary group between 2014 and 2018 and he turned one in all F1’s standout performers throughout that period, gathering seven wins alongside Sebastian Vettel after which a quickly rising Max Verstappen.
Ricciardo was persuaded by Renault group boss Cyril Abiteboul to make the leap to the Enstone-based group for 2019, however struggled to repeat his Pink Bull successes in uncompetitive equipment.
After two fruitless seasons Ricciardo moved to McLaren however, regardless of taking an eighth win on the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, he endured two irritating seasons attempting to adapt to the group’s equipment, earlier than being minimize free one yr earlier than the top of his deal in 2022.
Speaking exclusively to Autosport’s German sister site Motorsport Total, Marko believes Ricciardo’s profession by no means recovered from leaving Pink Bull within the first place, and says the Australian has misplaced his “killer intuition” alongside the way in which.

Daniel Ricciardo, RB F1 Crew VCARB 01
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
“I feel the choice to depart Red Bull Racing was the turning level in his profession,” Marko stated. “Then he did not have a profitable automotive at both Renault or McLaren. He did win at Monza, however these had been particular circumstances.
“I do not know what precisely occurred, as a result of if we knew, we’d have helped him. However the pace and, above all, this late braking, after which he goes left or proper… in these previous few years he tried nevertheless it was not there, the killer intuition was gone.”
Marko believes query marks over his standing alongside Verstappen and the power of Pink Bull’s Honda energy items each performed a component in Ricciardo leaving Pink Bull for Renault.
“He had sure reservations in regards to the Honda engine and apparently he listened extra to the candy discuss of Renault and Cyril Abiteboul,” Marko defined. “Financially, there wasn’t a lot distinction between what Renault provided him and what we provided.
“I additionally advised him: ‘Shoeys shall be exhausting for you’. I do not suppose we have seen Renault on the rostrum lots.
“He got here to us, beating Vettel with three-to-zero victories in 2014 and after that, Daniil Kvyat was sooner than him at occasions, however over the season he additionally had him beneath management.
“After which Max got here and he bought stronger and stronger, in order that was definitely one of many causes for his resolution to decide on Renault over us.”
Amid unease amongst followers over how Ricciardo’s exit was communicated and spilled out into the Singapore weekend, earlier than the official announcement on Thursday, Marko says Ricciardo was knowledgeable about what would occur and felt his quickest lap was a becoming send-off.
“[The timing] was associated to quite a lot of elements and obligations,” he defined. “He was knowledgeable, and the worthy farewell efficiency was, I feel, the quickest lap.
“That also confirmed what potential he has, not repeatedly and never on the stage that will have justified him coming to Pink Bull Racing, however that was an impeccable efficiency.
“I feel it was clearly communicated that he needs to be considerably higher than Yuki Tsunoda and he solely managed that in a number of races, so it was clear that this story of the prodigal son rejoining Pink Bull Racing sadly did not work out.
“He stated very properly that he’s at peace with himself, and he has come to phrases with the scenario and we are going to see what his plans for the long run are.”