Ricciardo to leave Red Bull for Renault (Update)

Red Bull just lost their best driver

UPDATE This rumor is now upgraded to 'fact' with this announcement just out by Red Bull.

Daniel Ricciardo has advised Aston Martin Red Bull Racing that he is to leave the Team at the end of the 2018 season.

Having joined the Red Bull family in 2008 as a member of the Red Bull Junior Team, with whom he won numerous junior titles, Daniel made his F1 debut in 2011 at the British Grand Prix. After two seasons with Scuderia Toro Rosso, Daniel joined us in 2014 and to date has brought the team seven victories, 29 podium finishes, two pole positions and 904 championship points.

Commenting on Daniel’s decision, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner said: “We fully respect Daniel’s decision to leave Aston Martin Red Bull Racing and we wish him all the best in his future. We would like to thank him for his dedication and the role he has played since joining the Team in 2014, the highlights of course being the seven wins and the 29 podiums he has achieved so far with us.

“We will now continue to evaluate the numerous options available to us before deciding on which driver partners Max Verstappen for the 2019 season. In the meantime, there are still nine races left in 2018 and we are fully focused on maximizing every opportunity for Max and Daniel for the remainder of the season."

08/03/18 Daniel Ricciardo is about to deliver a hammer blow to Red Bull by telling them that he is signing for Renault.

Sportsmail understands that the 29-year-old Australian has been in talks with the French works team and will commit his future to them, starting next season.

Ricciardo was also courted by McLaren, but those talks came to nothing.

He had felt unloved by Red Bull after they made Max Verstappen their de facto No 1 by rewarding him with a massively improved deal last season, when team principal Christian Horner said the Dutchman was the man they would build the team around.

Ricciardo's imminent departure could mean Carlos Sainz will move from Renault to McLaren.

Ricciardo met Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz on the first floor of the team's hospitality area in Austria during the grand prix in Spielberg, but clearly did not get the assurances he craved. It may have been too late for that.

Ricciardo wanted a move to Ferrari but that was never likely with Sebastian Vettel, his former Red Bull teammate, thought to be opposed to the idea of having the Australian in the same car.

The news comes as a surprise given Ricciardo's comments earlier this week, when he insisted a new deal with Red Bull would be agreed during the summer break.

'It will definitely be done by Spa,' Ricciardo told Sky Sports after testing in Budapest. 'Whether it gets announced over the summer break or in Spa [I don't know].

'It's just a little bit of fine tuning here and there. It's all good.

'You will hear something soon, I'm sure.' DailyMail