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Daniel Ricciardo wanted to stay at Red Bull for 2019 initially, he admits

Daniel Ricciardo wanted to stay at Red Bull for 2019 initially, he admits

19-01-2019 11:07
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Bobby Vincent

Daniel Ricciardo has admitted he initially wanted to stay on with former side Red Bull Racing before making his decision to move to Renault.

The Aussie had the choice of whether to stay with Red Bull, and try out the new power unit from Honda, or move somewhere else in a bid to become the main man there and potentially win a world championship.

It was no secret that Max Verstappen was Red Bull's number one in 2018, with Ricciardo often the man whose car seemed to be sacrificed, with the Australian having to retire more than any other driver on the grid.

When asked by Racer if Red Bull had offered Ricciardo everything he had asked for, he replied: "I do not know, I guess it was close to what I wanted. There were a few things. I used to make a two-year contract, and because I had already wondered if I wanted to do another year there or do two years.

"I was a little concerned with myself personally; with my motivation, I was not sure she was still there.

"I just thought if Honda did not work, I would have spent another year of frustration. Did I really want to spend another year like that, or did I just want to finish it?

"At first, it was an issue that concerned me, so I though, 'Okay, let's push for a year, and if the Honda engine works, so much the better, we'll extend and so on, that's easy.'

"But a year, I thought that was risky! I did not feel like I was getting anything by signing a year. I did not know, it does not happen like that, so I wanted, and then I did not really want to finish.