Webber on Ricciardo's Renault regret: Touch wood, he can get out of it.

Mark Webber believes Daniel Ricciardo may be starting to regret committing two years to Renault, but says his compatriot must keep his head down and focus on getting back into the fight for race wins and potentially more.

Ricciardo's shock decision to quit Red Bull for Renault sparked a frenzy of driver movement for the 2019 season, with the after-effects still being felt at his former team, where uncertainty remains over Max Verstappen's long-term partner.

The move has not gone as expected so far for Ricciardo. The season's expectations that the gap would be closed to the top three teams has not been realised and Renault are instead fighting to finish fourth in the constructors' championship ahead of McLaren, who currently hold the spot.

And Webber says Ricciardo may have been better off staying put.

"He was at Red Bull, I wish he stayed there because it is a better package," Webber told Fox Sports.

"Obviously there were some financial terms but Red Bull weren't far off his numbers anyway.

"He could be regretting that two-year phase now, but he's got to get back out of [regret] now.

"Young guys come in and the landscape changes really fast in two years. You think, 'yeah, I'm cool, I've got a bit of time'. Next minute, people come along.

"Touch wood, he can get out of it."

Ricciardo himself recently hinted that he may not show the same patience with Renault as he did at five years at Red Bull.

He told Channel 4: "If we went backwards from this year, then it wouldn't have been where I'd expect to be and then…

"Now this whole move to Renault. Ideally I re-sign in 2021 and that's because things are going forward and we've got a real chance. If it goes backwards and for whatever reason it doesn't look positive then I guess I'll cross that bridge."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

Popular F1 pundit finds new TV home after Sky Sports exit

• 1 hour ago

Max Verstappen flirts with FIA punishment at Chinese Grand Prix

• 1 hour ago

F1 Qualifying Results: Chinese Grand Prix times and grid positions

• 2 hours ago

'Inspector Hamilton': F1 legend filmed investigating Mercedes at Chinese Grand Prix

• 2 hours ago

Honda issue official statement as Aston Martin F1 nightmare continues

• 3 hours ago

F1 Qualifying Today: Chinese Grand Prix 2026 start times, schedule, TV channel and FREE live stream

• Yesterday 20:45