Daniel Ricciardo admits justifying his decision to leave Red Bull for Renault is one of the main targets he has for 2019.
Questions are being asked about the Australian’s move as the Enstone team has struggled for results – though did finish sixth and seventh in Austin – and Ricciardo himself has suffered terrible engine reliability with five related DNFs this year alone.
On Wednesday it was claimed some at Red Bull are making jokes about the 29-year-old’s recent situation and speaking in Mexico, the ‘Honey Badger’ concedes expectations are different.
“My goal is to…I think a few things,” he said of 2019. “As a team to get their best result possible. I don’t know now what their best is for the last few years, but if it’s sixth, I want to finish fifth, for example.
“I also want to prove to myself and to other people that it was the right decision, I guess to prove some people wrong and just grow with the team and to feel the progress, to be part of that, and to feel like their investment in me was worthwhile.”
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Of course, the ultimate goal is to become champion with Renault, something Ricciardo smiled should have come “five years ago” when asked if he had set a date.
“I mean, 2014 I believe I drove well enough to be world champion that year, so for me, it’s already overdue,” he told Spain’s AS.
“But now, starting this next journey, realistically I would say 2021, I want to be world champion that year.”