23/06/2018
NEWS STORY
As Daniel Ricciardo ponders whether to remain at Red Bull or seek pastures new, there are numerous factors to consider.
While a move to either Ferrari or Mercedes would almost certainly guarantee wins, both teams currently have clear top dogs as far as drivers are concerned.
And while Red Bull assures the Australian that he will have parity with teammate Max Verstappen, other than questioning whether this would continue in the long term, Ricciardo has to consider whether the team has made the right move in switching to Honda power for next season.
And then there's McLaren and Renault.
While one team appears to be on the ascendant, albeit slowly, the other is clearly at sixes and sevens... for now.
But perhaps Christian Horner put it best a yesterday's press conference, where, sitting alongside Cyril Abiteboul and Eric Boullier, when asked about Ricciardo, the Briton said: "Let's not forget that he has been in a car that in the last couple of grands prix has been lapping the cars to our left. So it would be a fairly bold decision to step out of a car that he has won two grands prix in this year as a championship contender.
"I would be surprised if he was to leave, because it's a good fit between himself and Red Bull, but it is Formula 1," he added.
"Obviously we love Daniel," said Boullier, "I personally have known him for many, many years. He is doing a good job with Red Bull. As long as a driver of that calibre is on the market you look if there is any discussion possible but at this time of year it's still too early to talk about our driver line-up for the future, so just a normal, gentle discussion."
The Australian was giving little away, though a reference to Lewis Hamilton's controversial move from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013, at a time the German outfit was very much the underdog, appeared to suggest a move to Woking or Enstone was still possible.
"Lewis pulled the trigger pretty well," he said. "Whether he fluked it... he says that he really knew it was going to happen... I don't know.
"I do know that, if you're saying, those two teams, they're not quite in that position yet. But could they be? Maybe. The thought of that, it has some appeal.
"I wouldn't say it's probably top of my list right now, but I wouldn't dismiss it, also. Obviously McLaren and Renault aren't there today, but maybe they will be there in a year or three years' time."
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