Renault spent $50 million on having Daniel Ricciardo drive for its F1 team for two years but was that worth it?
Daniel Ricciardo joined the Renault F1 Team in 2019 after spending five-year at Red Bull. He shocked the F1 world when he rejected a new deal with a race-winning team to join a midfield team.
In their two-year partnership deal, Renault spent $50 million on Ricciardo to get to the top of the grid. The French team hoped the agreement to be the start of a successful alliance that would assist them to their promised land, laying the foundation for further wins and glories.
However, Renault team principal Cyril Abiteboul is clear that the advantages of having a top-tier driver like Ricciardo on board extend far beyond what he can deliver on the track.
Abiteboul told motorsport that it is a considerable financial commitment from Renault. But there is no question about whether Renault can afford it or not.
He further added that since Renault has 40 times the turnover of Red Bull, it definitely can afford it.
Also read: Daniel Ricciardo reveals Renault staff was intimidated by him
Was Daniel Ricciardo worth the Renault money?
After a rough start, in 2019 the Australian outscored his teammate Nico Hulkenberg by 17 points. In 2020 he was 119 to 62 points up on Esteban Ocon.
The results were excellent too considering the competitiveness of the car. He scored points in 22 of his 38 races and made Renault’s podium breakthrough with third place.
Besides being a great driver, his charisma and personality bought a lot to the team too and helped create a constructive environment.
Given Renault’s results in 2019 and 2020, it’s fair to conclude that the car is being driven a little quicker as a result of the driver’s choice.
Ricciardo is a tremendously quick driver, and considering that he’s in a class where a tenth or two of a second can make a major difference, that matters.
Ricciardo’s contribution could also be the reason for the racing team signing Fernando Alonso for 2021. It is unlikely he would have joined the team if they had the same inconsistent performance of 2019.
Cyril told The Race “I still believe that it was the right thing to do at the time. The team wouldn’t be what it is today without Daniel”
Although, the Renault team members would not agree with the amount spent on the driver. Plenty of them would believe their departments could have done more with that money spent on additional facilities or more personnel.
For its money, Renault got exactly what it paid for – one of F1’s best drivers who has consistently outperformed the car and got the best out of each race the whole season. That’s about all you can ask of a driver, and Ricciardo has gone above and beyond.
Also read: Daniel Ricciardo insists he doesn’t regret leaving Red Bull in 2019
