Guenther Steiner claims he doesn’t hold any grudge against Daniel Ricciardo for snubbing Haas for Red Bull reserve driver role

Daniel Ricciardo was promoted to AlphaTauri at the Hungarian GP after serving as a third driver for Red Bull.

Guenther Steiner claims he doesn’t hold any grudge against Daniel Ricciardo for snubbing Haas for Red Bull reserve driver role

Guenther Steiner and Daniel Ricciardo (Credits: Planet F1)

Daniel Ricciardo found himself without a seat for the 2023 season after a dismal two-year run with McLaren. McLaren chose to break ways with him to make room for fellow Australian Oscar Piastri. Many speculated on Ricciardo’s future move, and there were reports that he was given a seat at Haas but declined in favor of a different path. Despite this, Guenther Steiner claims he has no animosity against Ricciardo.

Despite offers from midfield and lower midfield teams, Daniel Ricciardo made a surprising decision to return to his former team, Red Bull, as their third driver. While some may have questioned this move, Ricciardo saw it as an opportunity to work closely with Red Bull and its sister team, AlphaTauri, to position himself for a potential comeback to the main Red Bull team.

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Haas, however, had experienced challenges with Mick Schumacher, who struggled to match his teammate, Kevin Magnussen, and incurred significant damage charges for the team. Initially, Haas considered offering Ricciardo a seat to replace Schumacher, but Ricciardo declined, believing that the association with Red Bull would be more beneficial for his career progression.

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Regarding Ricciardo choosing Red Bull over Haas, Steiner said, “Obviously he had a plan what he wanted to do and it worked out for him.” Steiner praised Ricciardo, describing him as a “very good guy” with seven race victories. Steiner acknowledges Ricciardo’s challenges in the previous two seasons, making last year particularly tough for him. And according to him, “Sometimes you need to take a step back to [make] two forward.”

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Guenther Steiner takes a neutral stance regarding other teams’ choices

Daniel Ricciardo and Mick Schumacher
Daniel Ricciardo and Mick Schumacher (Credits: Formula1News.co.uk)

The gamble paid off for Ricciardo, as he was eventually promoted to Red Bull’s sister team, AlphaTauri, to replace Nyck de Vries after just ten races. Though AlphaTauri is currently at the tail-end of the grid, Ricciardo remains confident that an impressive stint with the team will pave the way for his return to the Red Bull main seat. 

The Haas principal acknowledged the significance of personal decisions, emphasizing that every individual must choose their path. He also addressed past decisions, stating, “Everybody has got an opinion on what we did when we didn’t extend one of our drivers.” He kept a neutral position towards the decisions made by other teams, trusting their knowledge. Steiner applauded Daniel Ricciardo’s acquisition, citing his potential and previous successes.

Meanwhile, Haas replaced Mick Schumacher with Nico Hulkenberg, a seasoned driver with extensive Formula 1 experience. The decision proved to be successful, as Hulkenberg showcased exceptional performance during Saturday’s qualifying sessions, making it to Q3 in six out of twelve races. Surprisingly, this performance equals that of Sergio Perez, who drives for the dominant Red Bull team.

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