So what would you do?

In recent times, Red Bull main man Christian Horner has been a frequent ‘go to guy’ for the Formula 1 commentary team that we get. More than once, Martin Brundle has asked about tyre strategy or sought some other insight and Horner, rather casually but cleverly has turned the question back on him – ‘What would you do Martin?’

This What would you do? question has been kicking around in my head in recent weeks as a discussion topic amongst chums, as if we were advising Daniel Ricciardo – and that was even before the announcement was made that Red Bull would be powered by Honda in 2019 and 2020. On the surface you’d think Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari would both be chasing the signature of the ever-smiling Western Australian but seemingly that isn’t the case. No one will say if this position is because the team directors are entirely satisfied with what they have (or what they know they’re going to get) or if their respective lead drivers would rather not have someone as good as Ricciardo as a team-mate.

Whatever is the case, the inside word would appear to be that the red and silver doors are closed…so, if you were Daniel Ricciardo, what would you do? If Red Bull were sticking with the Renault engines, staying put would be the obvious conclusion to reach…after all, that’s where design genius Adrian Newey is. Money of course plays a part in such decisions and a recently published estimate/list of driver salaries showed Danny Ric at $6 million as compared with $10 mill for his Dutch team-mate. The Ferrari drivers, plus Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton earn multiples of Max Verstappen’s alleged package.

Given what we’ve seen since Verstappen and Ricciardo have been paired, and especially thus far in 2018, the ratio looks skewed, assuming it to be correct. Ricciardo should be earning at least what Max is getting and frankly, somewhat more. Assuming an improvement in his salary can be built in to his deal, here is a summary of what seem to be his only options:

Option 1
Staying at Red Bull

1. Positives: Adrian Newey turns out the best chassis, year after year. The team is well-funded. They know how to win world titles
2. Negatives: The Honda – which must eventually come good…eh Fernando!   What if Newey left?  The team doesn’t ‘do’ orders meaning there continues to be every chance of crashing with Max

Option 2

Going to Renault

1. Positives:  Is there a rumour that Newey is joining them? They’re becoming increasingly established as the fourth best outfit. The prospect that the team won’t risk their drivers crashing into one another
2. Negatives: The Honda usurps Renault’s V6 sooner than later.  Not as well-funded as the big three.  A new and unknown environment

Option 3
Taking McLaren’s offer…

1. Positive …rumoured to be $20 mill
2. Negative – Is the once great team heading down the same path as Williams?

It’s not cut and dried…although made easier if the rumoured McLaren offer is simply eliminated. By all means use the $20 million for bargaining purposes but right now McLaren’s primary asset is a Spaniard who would have to be leaving in order for Ricciardo to join.

Now if it was the old McLaren – well run and managed, well-funded and with a fully sorted and well-engineered car, the prospect of Alonso and Ricciardo teamed together and challenging for the world title would be a mouth-watering prospect, but sadly we don’t have the old McLaren. So what should Ricciardo do?

Simple – go where Newey is and work on the basis that, if Newey stays at Red Bull, Honda will get their power unit on a par with Renault’s quicker than the Frogs get theirs at Ferrari/Mercedes level –…but if he goes to Renault – well it’s not a bad alternative for the talented Aussie. All of this of course presupposes that the rumours that the silver cars will have an unchanged line-up in 2019, and that the red ones will have Sebastian Vettel and either Kimi Raikkonen or Charles Leclerc. If that’s wrong, then doesn’t Ricciardo just have to be at the Scuderia?

What would you do?