Christian Horner does the opposite to upselling Daniel Ricciardo with Red Bull comment

Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo at 2022 McLaren launch

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Christian Horner has had his say on the struggling Daniel Ricciardo, admitting that the Australian does not look like the same driver he was when driving for Red Bull. McLaren confirmed this week that Ricciardo will leave the team at the end of the current season after signing in 2021.

Since joining the Woking-based setup last campaign, the Aussie star has struggled for form recording just one podium finish after winning in Monza in 2021. Things have not got any easier in 2022 for Ricciardo, which has ultimately led to his exit despite having signed a three-year contract.

It has been quite the fall from grace for the 33-year-old, who, throughout the peak of his Formula 1 career, was one of the sport’s most talented drivers. The majority of his success behind the wheel came during his time with Red Bull, and his former boss Horner feels Ricciardo is a shadow of his former self.

He told Sky Sports: “I don’t recognize him as the same driver he was when he was with us. He’s one of the best guys out there. He definitely has that ability. I hope he finds a seat in Formula 1. I hope he finds his magic. 

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“If you think about some of the races he did for us, (like) winning the Monaco Grand Prix on 50% power (in 2018), he had some incredible performances. You have to think about when he was together with Seb [Vettel], when he came to the team, how he performed, how close he was obviously with Max [Verstappen] as well. 

“So obviously it’s hard for him, but I really hope he finds something for the future.” One man who was less sympathetic towards Ricciardo and his departure is his McLaren teammate Lando Norris.

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Speaking on his teammate Norris commented: “I don’t feel like you have to have sympathy for any driver because they’ve not been able to do as good a job. People will probably hate me for saying it.

“I’ve just got to focus on my driving and my job. It’s not my job to focus on someone else. I’m not a driver coach. I’m not here to help and do those kinds of things. I’m here to perform at my absolute best. And that’s about it.”

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