'Daniel broke the gentleman handshake agreement'- Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko makes fresh claims

Red Bulls Chief Advisor Helmut Marco has claimed Daniel Ricciardo broke the gentlemanly handshake agreement in 2018 by moving to Renault. Ricciardo was recently dropped by Red Bull’s Junior team VCARB and was replaced by Liam Lawson. After hearing the news, many fans supported Daniel Ricciardo and accused Red Bull of not giving the eight-time Grand Prix winner a proper Farewell. 

But Red Bul boss Helmut Marco defended the team by saying Daniel was intimidated before the season and that he had to score more points than his teammate to remain in the team. Daniel failed as his teammate Yuki Tsunoda dominated the Australian completely. Ricciardo was dropped after Singapore GP and Liam Lawson was brought in as a replacement for the rest of the season. Ricciardo had most of his success while at Red Bull from 2014 to 2018. 

'Daniel Broke the Agreement'- Helmut Marko

Marko Said Daniel leaving Red Bull was the turning point of his career. Marko said the Australian assured both him and Red Bull’s Cofounder Mateschitz that he would sign a new agreement with Red Bull in 2019.

He said, “It was an event on the main square in Graz. Afterward, we sat down together and actually came to an agreement. Sealed with a handshake. He then traveled to Salzburg and did the same there with Dietrich Mateschitz. But he had certain reservations about the Honda engine, which would have come to us, and apparently listened more to Renault and Cyril Abiteboul.”

Red Bull co-founder Mateschitz who died in 2022 was not happy with Daniel Ricciardo as he broke the handshake agreement. He said, “Mateschitz was very keen to ensure that what you seal with a handshake is honoured.” But after 4 years Daniel was again welcomed by Red Bull as a reserve driver after McLaren dropped him in 2022. He joined the RB team in the 2023 mid-season and was racing for them until the 2024 Singapore GP.

Also Read: 'I didn't enjoy that' - Liam Lawson on Daniel Ricciardo's Singapore exit