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Harsh judgement on Ricciardo: "He didn't learn anything at Renault"
- GPblog.com
After all the announcements for the 2021 drivers' market last month, we can perhaps say that Daniel Ricciardo has made the most surprising jump. He's going from Renault to McLaren, but whether that's a step forward remains to be seen.
The Australian will have access to Mercedes engines. Ziggo reporter Jack Plooij has a resolute answer to the question from Motorsport.com whether this makes him an outsider for the title. "No, cut the crap, man. He hasn't learned anything at Renault. He's only gone backwards, so I don't believe that at all."
For Renault the announced departure of their first driver apparently came as a surprise as well. Team boss Cyril Abiteboul couldn't hide his disappointment when he was asked about it. He had hoped to build a stable team with Ricciardo.
Ricciardo badly treated by Renault?
"It says everything about how Renault and Abiteboul are doing now. Indeed I don't have such a good relationship with them and that's largely up to me, but I just don't think it is good. You don't send Ricciardo away and then give him another kick up his ass. Maybe it feels nice to say, but you don't do that", said Plooij.
According to him Nico Hülkenberg could be in that seat again. Plooij says the German wants to and Renault doesn't have enough money to pay Fernando Alonso because of the corona crisis. Unlike Hülkenberg, the Spaniard is often mentioned as a possible replacement for Ricciardo.