Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has accused Daniel Ricciardo of being miserly during their time working together, recalling the driver expensing water bottles to the company.
Horner served as Red Bull team principal for 20 years before leaving his post last year. The 52-year-old oversaw a period of success that led to six constructors' championships and eight drivers' world titles. Sebastian Vettel initially sparked Red Bull's dominance on the track under Horner before Max Verstappen claimed four consecutive world championships between 2021 and 2024.
Penny-pinching antics recalled
During his time with the team, Horner also worked alongside Ricciardo for several years. The 'Honey Badger', who has been linked with a sensational return to F1, twice finished third in the overall drivers' standings with Red Bull, but Horner also recalls Ricciardo's penny-pinching antics.
In 2018, Horner looked to punish Ricciardo and teammate Verstappen after the pair collided while battling for fourth place at the Azerbaijan GP, which prompted both cars to retire. The drivers were made to apologise to the Red Bull factory, with Horner also ensuring that the duo paid for the team's Christmas bar bill.
Ricciardo's reaction
The former Red Bull boss claims to vividly recall Ricciardo's reaction. In an interview with The Times, Horner said: "Daniel, who was known for expensing bottles of water back to the company, looked sick".
Ricciardo enjoyed a lengthy F1 career which spanned more than a decade. Celebrity Net Worth estimates that the 37-year-old's wealth stands at around £38million through following his high-profile sporting career, despite Horner accusing him of putting water bottles through expenses.
Career after Red Bull
After leaving Red Bull in 2018, the Australian driver joined Renault and Mercedes. He returned to his former team as a reserve driver in 2023, making another 26 starts on the F1 grid before being replaced by Liam Lawson in September 2024.
Discussing the final chapter of his career on DRIVE with Jim Farley earlier this year, Ricciardo said: "That was the reality at the time. But I think once that happened, I had to... let's say being let go twice in the last few years, it had also taken a lot out of me. I had put a lot of my soul into it and I did feel pretty exhausted by it."
"In reflection I was grateful that they made the decision for me. I think it would have been hard to be like 'I'm done'. Not so much for me, I knew it was harder for me to perform at that level. Like [Fernando] Alonso, these guys are in their 40s in F1, competing very highly. For whatever reason, I lost a little bit of something and it is okay to admit it, it is fine."
