Daniel Ricciardo says making an early decision to switch to McLar🍌en for next season bef๊ore a wheel had been turned in anger in the current Formula 1 campaign was “weird”

The Australian w𝔍ill leave Renault after two years at the end of the season to join McLaren𒈔 as the Ferrari-bound Carlos Sainz’s replacement for 2021.

After the COVID-19 pandemic had forced the opening 10 races to be called off, and with his contract expiring at the end of the year, Ricciardo faᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚced the bizarre prospect of making a decision over his future before knowing the true pecking order for 2020.

Speaking in an F1 Instagram live, Ricciardo adꦰmitted the complicated situation made coming to a final outcome “not easꦯy”.

“Having the time to think♋ about things like the future was good, but then it also was not easy because you’vﷺe got all this time but not much action - that was certainly difficult,” he explained.

“The whole year has been craᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚzy for things even beyond coronavirus now. Making these decisions with only testing to go by this year, that wasn’t easy. Ideally you’d like to get going, race and make your mind up but we’re not in those times with that luxury. 

“It it was not easy, not an overnight decision. I guess I🉐 would just say this whole year has been weird and continues to be w🐻eird.” 

The heavily-delayed 2020 season will finall⛄y get underway next month with the Austrian Grand Prix on 5 July, which kicks off a run of eight races across Europe in the space of♏ just 10 weeks.

Ricciardo is raring to get going and said he is determined to end his tenure at Renault on a high note bꦜefore completing the switch from Enstone to Woking over the winter.

“That’s the big relief for everyone, when thꦰey announced the official start date. It was like ‘we can see the end of the tunnel’ and we can get going," he said. 

“I want to fini💝sh this journey and chapter with Renault off in the best way possible. I still feel 🙈like I owe a lot to them on and off track, so I’m glad we can compete soon and do what I can.”