Christian Horner saw, during his time as Red Bull team principal, two of his drivers — Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen — win the world championship several times. A third driver, the now-former team boss says, had the talent to add his name to that list: Daniel Ricciardo. Horner explains how, at the Australian’s peak, Red Bull unfortunately didn’t have the most competitive car.
Christian Horner spent twenty years at the helm of Red Bull, until he was dismissed as team principal last July. During his time with the Austrians the Briton saw plenty of talent come through, including future world champions Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. Still, another much-loved driver clearly had what it takes to be a world champion, Horner reveals: Daniel Ricciardo.
“Daniel is just a great bloke,” Horner begins his praise for the Australian on the Christian O’Connell Show. “He lights up a room the moment he walks in. He’s got a huge personality. He also has a big heart, a very sensitive guy. I just clicked with him. He was a great driver, but unfortunately at the moment he was at his peak we didn’t have the most competitive car on the grid.”
‘The sport misses Daniel’
Ricciardo drove for the Austrian team during Mercedes’ dominant years. The Silver Arrows won the Constructors’ Championship eight times between 2014 and 2021. “If we’d had a good car, he could have been world champion. But he’s a great bloke and I think the sport misses Daniel. That smile — he’s also a great singer. I always threw a party after the race at Silverstone and his rendition of Wagon Wheel was legendary. I even once got him to sing at a Christmas party, which he’s never forgiven me for. Just a big personality, lots of charisma,” the former team principal concludes.
