Ricciardo expects bad luck to ‘dissolve’ at Renault

Daniel Ricciardo expects his bad luck to ‘dissolve’ when he moves to Renault for 2019 as he prepares for his final grand prix with Red Bull.

The Australian is looking forward to the next chapter of his career though doesn’t expect his current run of misfortune to change in Abu Dhabi next weekend.

Throughout 2018 the 28-year-old has suffered eight retirements, and has not finished on the podium since winning the Monaco Grand Prix.

Even his Brazilian Grand Prix was compromised after a marshal in Mexico sprayed a fire extinguisher into the exhaust of his car, damaging a turbo and forcing him to take another grid drop at Interlagos.

Despite the setback he was still able to recover to fourth, only narrowly missing out on a podium as he trailed Kimi Raikkonen across the line.

“After 2018 the bad luck is just going to dissolve,” Ricciardo said.

“The bad luck will stay in 2018. Look, I am certainly excited for a change and a new challenge.

“But whether I’d had a run of good races or the run I’ve had, it would not actually change my feeling about where I am going next year.

“Even before this run of misfortune I was already looking and tempted to move on and have something different. I don’t see it any different now.

“Part of me, as excited as I am to try and have a good result in the final races, I am also just excited to get the year finished and start fresh with a new team next year.”

Ricciardo has been part of the Red Bull program throughout his Formula 1 career, having first been placed at HRT (the renamed Hispania Racing Team) in 2011 before joining Toro Rosso and eventually earning a promotion to the senior team when Mark Webber retired at the end of 2013.