Daniel Ricciardo, Renault seeing results as he’s walking out door, but Damon Hill thinks the timing is right

Former world champion Damon Hill explains why Daniel Ricciardo’s timing to be changing teams is spot on and how come he’s not a fan of the Aussie’s ‘shoey’.

Former Formula One world champion Damon Hill is confident Daniel Ricciardo has made the right move to switch to McLaren next year despite the Australian’s results starting to soar with Renault.

Speaking ahead of the Turkish Grand Prix this weekend, the Sky Sports F1 expert expected Ricciardo to be a serious podium challenger with McLaren in 2021.

Ricciardo made the call to make the move to McLaren before this year’s rebooted F1 season got underway after a tough first year with Renault in 2019.

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But the Australian star’s fortunes with the French manufacturer have turned and he has now claimed podiums in two out of his last three races.

Ricciardo has claimed a points finish in the past seven races to move to fourth place in the driver standings — behind the Mercedes pairing of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas and his former Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen — and 10 clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Last year it was McLaren which showed promise to sit fourth in the constructors standings ahead of Renault. But now the French manufacturer has jumped ahead of McLaren.

The form surge has sparked questions about whether Ricciardo was making the right move, but Hill said the timing was perfect ahead of the arrival of the Mercedes engine for McLaren.

“I think he has done a very canny zigzag at the right time,” Hill said.

Daniel Ricciardo has claimed podiums in two of his last three races. Picture: Getty Images

“But if McLaren gets the Mercedes engine they will be a stronger team and I think he is going to a great team.

“He will relish that team and the team will love him. He is a very popular driver, a great racing driver and I’d like to see him do well.

“It would be a good fit to see him at Ferrari but not if it’s not competitive.

“I would say there is a good chance they (McLaren and Ricciardo) could be putting a bit of pressure on Red Bull.”

Ricciardo will team up with Lando Norris at McLaren next year after his two-year stint at Renault, which came after his initial shock defection from Red Bull.

Ricciardo showed rapid improvement in his Renault racer towards the end of this season. Picture: Getty Images

Hill said Ricciardo had only enhanced his racing credentials in his time at Renault.

“I think his bank balance says that he made the right move (to Renault) and I think also his credibility and his reputation have not been damaged in any way,” Hill said.

“In fact, he has just re-established what a star he is and I think it is quite clear that he is super talented, he creates a good vibe in the team and we love his radio messages, it is always positive.

“The shoey I could do without quite frankly, I think it’s disgusting but there you go, maybe that’s an Australian thing.”

After three seasons using Renault engines, McLaren will switch to a Mercedes power unit from 2021.

Hill expected any change to a new engine required an adjustment for a team, but expected McLaren to deliver.

“There is a lot to learn when you change power units. They are an integral part of the car, it’s not like a battery you don’t just take it out and put a new one in,” Hill said.

“It changes the way the aerodynamics work because of the amount of heat that these engines produce and the way that they need cooling, all those things are slightly different from one power unit manufacturer to another.

“So it will be a bit of work, but they are up to it, I think McLaren can cope with that.”

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