Daniel Ricciardo to leave Red Bull Racing for Renault for 2019

The Australian's final race for Red Bull will be Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 25

Daniel Ricciardo is leaving Red Bull Racing at the end of the season. Mark Thompson / Getty Images

Daniel Ricciardo is to leave Red Bull Racing at the end of the Formula One season and will join Renault.

The Australian had been expected to sign a new deal with the Austrian team, with who he has raced with in Formula One since 2014, but a news statement on Friday confirmed his last race with the team will be the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 25.

Ricciardo has won seven races in his career, all with Red Bull, two of which came this season in China and Monaco.

But he will now partner Nico Hulkenberg at Renault next season.

"It was probably one of the most difficult decisions to take in my career so far," Ricciardo said in Renault's statement confirming a two-year deal.

"But I thought that it was time for me to take on a fresh and new challenge. I realise that there is a lot ahead in order to allow Renault to reach their target of competing at the highest level but I have been impressed by their progression in only two years, and I know that each time Renault has been in the sport they eventually won.

"I hope to be able to help them in this journey and contribute on and off the track."

Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, said: “We fully respect Daniel’s decision to leave Aston Martin Red Bull Racing and we wish him all the best in his future. We would like to thank him for his dedication and the role he has played since joining the Team in 2014, the highlights of course being the seven wins and the 29 podiums he has achieved so far with us.

“We will now continue to evaluate the numerous options available to us before deciding on which driver partners Max Verstappen for the 2019 season. In the meantime, there are still nine races left in 2018 and we are fully focused on maximising every opportunity for Max and Daniel for the remainder of the season.”

Renault's win as a constructor in F1 came at the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix when Fernando Alonso triumphed.

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