by Morgan Piontek
Many have come and gone in the world of Formula 1, but the sport doesn’t come across many drivers like Daniel Ricciardo. In fact, it never does. Ever since his entrance into the sport in 2011, and more recently with the Netflix docuseries Drive To Survive, he’s gained a massive following. Ricciardo been one of the most beloved drivers on the grid and always has a smile on his face no matter the circumstance. However, September 22, 2024 was possibly the last time he’ll drive a Formula 1 car.
Ricciardo has been in the sport for many years, jumping to many teams, but one will always be considered home for him: Red Bull Racing. Or so he thought. The team had a massive influence on Ricciardo and it’s a team with which he’s had a lot of success. Essentially starting his career there, he may have now ended his career there. Ricciardo was let go from Red Bull Racing’s sister team, Visa Cash App RB (also known as RB, or V-Carb), with six races to go in the current 2024 season. The Singapore Grand Prix was possibly his last dance in F1.
Rumors started in the build leading up to the Grand Prix, but the media is always trying to make a story out of anything. This time though, they were right. The problem with this situation was that the media latched onto a rumor that started to spiral. Throughout the weekend, and even after the race, there was no official announcement of Ricciardo’s exit from F1. His own team didn’t even give a statement of his situation, so it was all speculation.
A weekend that was supposed to be business as usual turned into one of the biggest talking points of the season, one in which there’s been almost too much to talk about at times. But the speculation and confusion aren’t something Ricciardo or any driver deserves. With the caliber of his career, he deserved a proper send-off; donuts in Abu Dhabi, helmet swaps with his best mates, cheering crowds and the chance to take it in. Everything he wasn’t allowed to have due to the complete mismanagement by the team.
The official news of his exit dropped on Thursday, September 26, four days after the Grand Prix. Fans were just waiting for the shoe to drop while holding onto hope that Ricciardo would be on the grid for the upcoming race in Austin, Texas. Ausin is one of Ricciardo’s favorite races, and he goes all out in cowboy mode: hat, boots, Longhorns jersey, and he even rode into the paddock on a horse in 2021. There’s a somber feeling knowing there may be a custom Austin helmet sitting in a box for Ricciardo that he won’t get to wear.
Unfortunately, this isn’t completely out of character for Red Bull. The team is notorious for replacing drivers mid-season, something that helped Ricciardo return to F1 by replacing Nyck DeVries in 2023. Though it’s never a good feeling to see a driver being replaced, fans were ecstatic for Ricciardo’s return. A year later, they’re now devastated by his exit. Being a Ricciardo fan is a roller coaster of emotions.
Ricciardo posted on Instagram following the announcement with the caption. “I’ve loved this sport my whole life. It’s wild and wonderful and has been a journey. To the teams and individuals that have played their part, thank you. To the fans who love the sport sometimes more than me haha thank you. It’ll always have its highs and lows but it’s been fun and truth be told I wouldn’t change it. Until the next adventure.”
The love started pouring out from fans, teams, and his fellow drivers. His post has accumulated 3.3 million likes with tens of thousands of comments from those he’s impacted. Something that stood out to many fans were the comments left by Red Bull and RB. All they commented was a single heart, whereas other teams on the grid commented a short paragraph wishing him well. This didn’t sit well with fans, and while it’s a small thing, it’s been an ongoing conversation on social media and isn’t a good look for the teams.
Ricciardo wasn’t treated like family in his exit. The team waited only about 15 minutes after their goodbye post to announce the driver that would replace him for the remainder of the season. Although we may have had an idea of who would be his replacement, there wasn’t much time to process what had just happened.
Liam Lawson will take Ricciardo’s seat for the remaining six races and potentially grab a contract for 2025 if all goes well. Lawson had a short stint in F1 last year, taking over for Ricciardo while injured, and has proven himself worthy of a full-time seat. It’s a difficult situation for Lawson to step into, replacing the beloved Ricciardo, and no one can fill his boots. The pressure is on for Lawson because he knows Red Bull can flip the switch at any moment. He must perform and continue to impress the way he did last year.
With the fastest lap and a Singapore track record for good measure, Ricciardo completed the perfect last lap. Though this may be the end for Ricciardo in F1, he left an imperishable mark on the sport that will never be forgotten. He’s inspired thousands and attracted a new generation of fans. There’s not much more to say other than thank you. F1 has changed my life for the better and part of that credit is to Ricciardo. I’ll always have hope for his return to F1, as there’s no one quite like Daniel Ricciardo.
