F1 News: Max Verstappen - Ricciardo made a mistake leaving Red Bull
Max Verstappen has spoken about Daniel Ricciardo's career since leaving Red Bull in 2018, explaining why the Australians should have stayed with the team.
Ricciardo's decision to leave Red Bull was almost certain to become career-defining, stepping away from a proven race-winning team to embark on a new project at Renault.
Renault failed to maintain their progression from the 2016-18 seasons when Ricciardo joined for 2019, failing to push ahead and rise from the midfield.
Still, it was a surprise to see Ricciardo sign a contract with McLaren after just one season at the French squad, agreeing to terms with the Woking squad before the start of the 2020 campaign.
Ricciardo's career has declined significantly since joining McLaren, struggling to match the efforts of his teammate Lando Norris - much to the surprise of most F1 fans.
In an interview with formule1.nl, Verstappen was asked about Ricciardo's career choices post-RedBull:
"It would have been better for Daniel if he had stayed with Red Bull longer at the time...
"I've talked to him about it. It's also about feeling good somewhere. At a certain point, that was no longer the case...
"However, I do know that everyone at Red Bull had the best in mind for him. Instead of leaving, he could have talked to the team about it."
It is very difficult to speak positively about Ricciardo's career path in recent seasons, with the 33-year-old hoping to find better options in 2024 after spending a year on the sidelines.
Although he remains optimistic about his chances of returning to the sport in 2024, it will be difficult for the 8-time race winner to find another opportunity at the top teams.
After being widely regarded as one of F1's best drivers for the best part of a decade, the next twelve months could determine Ricciardo's fate in the sport.