Mark Webber, the former Formula 1 driver, has recently disclosed his attempts to dissuade Daniel Ricciardo from departing Red Bull and moving to Renault. Ricciardo, who was unable to secure a seat for the 2023 season, is now poised to make a comeback in the sport. The charismatic Australian, known as the “Honey Badger,” has taken over Nyck de Vries’ position at AlphaTauri and is set to participate in his first Formula 1 race of the year at the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix.

In 2014, Ricciardo made the transition from Toro Rosso (now known as AlphaTauri) to replace Mark Webber at Red Bull. However, after four years with the team, Ricciardo embarked on a new journey with Renault in 2018, eventually finding his way to McLaren. Enhance your F1 viewing experience with attractive F1 betting odds from Nextbet.

Since his departure from Red Bull, Ricciardo has faced a series of ups and downs in the sport. Webber, who has maintained a close relationship with his fellow Australian, has now divulged that he had urged Ricciardo to remain at Red Bull all those years ago.

Reflecting on their conversations, Webber shared his perspective with ITV, saying, “I was eager for him to stay in Red Bull. I think he knows that I was trying to convince him to stay back then. But, of course, he was determined to join Renault at the time and later moved to McLaren. After taking a year off, he’s now making his comeback.”

Webber emphasized the significance of performance in Formula 1, stating, “The stopwatch never lies. You’re either exerting pressure or succumbing to it. Now that he’s back on the grid, he will need to quickly rise to the challenge posed by Yuki Tsunoda, and I hope he can deliver strong performances.”

As Ricciardo gears up for his return to the sport, fans and pundits alike eagerly anticipate witnessing the resurgence of the Honey Badger’s trademark flair and skill on the Formula 1 circuit. Get the latest updates from the World of F1 only on Nextbet Sports.