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Renault: Ricciardo wasn't bought on 'stupid money'

Published on 22 Jan 2019 15:12
7
By: Fergal Walsh

Renault managing director Cyril Abiteboul says that the Enstone squad didn't waste money bringing Daniel Ricciardo to the team. Ricciardo took the surprise decision to leave Red Bull at the end of the 2018 season for Renault, who is currently heading the midfield pack.

The French manufacturer re-joined the grid in 2016 and has been building ever since, recently pulling resources from Formula E to invest more in F1. Last season, it beat Haas to fourth in the championship - but were 297 points down on third-placed Red Bull.

With Renault targeting wins in the long-term, it could have spent the reported $70million two-year contract on boosting its staff and infrastructure. But Abiteboul says that employing Ricciardo was a valuable move for the team.

"There is a considerable financial commitment from Renault," Abiteboul told Autosport. "But it is not a question of whether Renault can afford it: it can definitely afford it as our turnover is 40 times the turnover of Red Bull. There is no question mark about that.

"The question mark is about the value. Does it make sense to invest that type of money in a driver at the level of Daniel at this point of our journey, with the car that we have and the other expense that we must do? We believe so.

"There has been some discussion about that. Would we be better off investing in to the car or the drivers? I think we have reached a point where we can invest in both reasonably.

"I would also like to say that the commercial arrangement with Daniel is extremely sensible and nowhere near what can exist elsewhere in F1. It is obviously commensurate to the level of his skills and talent, and what he can bring to the team. But it is not a stupid amount of money."

mcbhargav

Posts: 1,332

$35 mil/yr for the 4th best driver, when your car is not suited for wins yet. Money might not be stupid, but Cyril is.

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Jan 22 2019 - 16:35

F1 News Daniel Ricciardo Gene Haas Cyril Abiteboul Paddy Driver Renault

Replies (7)

mcbhargav

Posts: 1,332
$35 mil/yr for the 4th best driver, when your car is not suited for wins yet. Money might not be stupid, but Cyril is.
- + 1
- Jan 22 2019 - 16:35
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Well yes, Cyril has been one of the bigger bullshitters on the grid for a long time now, kinda the Hillary Clinton of F1 (not necessarily apt, but I cant exactly recall any other as famous chancer, and none of you lot know of Annie Lööf, so you cant partake in the charity of sending her a right shoe to eat).
  + 1
  
  Jan 22 2019 - 20:13
- boudy
  
  Posts: 1,168
  @CALLE Great comparison between Cyril and Hillary. Both narcissistic personalities in my opinion. Annie Lööf sounds like character and did you actually send her your right shoe?
  + 0
  
  Jan 24 2019 - 15:07
blade

Posts: 341
He's never worth that money, never. Does this mean my sky subscription is going to have to go up to afford greater income to the teams to pay these stupid prices??? Seriously!!!!
- + 0
- Jan 22 2019 - 22:35
xoya

Posts: 583
He was bought on "Alonso ammount" of money.
Well, I guess you have to overpay if your car is not good enough. :/
- + 0
- Jan 23 2019 - 09:46
- boudy
  
  Posts: 1,168
  What I wonder about is the amount that mcLaren was offering did they trump that or did Ricciardo just go for the highest offer?
  + 0
  
  Jan 25 2019 - 08:02
Smiler121

Posts: 53
Hmm l, I do like Daniel however I REALLY hope that he can prove his worth on this kind of ca$h in terms of driving the development of the car & getting the best out of performance available.
- + 0
- Jan 23 2019 - 17:30