Daniel Ricciardo’s Final Days in F1
After his hopes of a summer promotion to Red Bull were dashed, Daniel Ricciardo had known for weeks that his position in the team was precarious. The Honey Badger had joined the Faenza-based team solely with the aim of becoming Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull. With that goal slipping away, his continued presence in the team made less sense as time went on.
However, Daniel Ricciardo still believed he could convince Helmut Marko and Christian Horner to give him the Red Bull seat for 2025. Even when it became evident in Baku that their paths would part—Liam Lawson learned of his promotion during the Azerbaijan GP—Daniel Ricciardo approached the Singapore weekend with maximum motivation, convinced he could change their minds. This determination was revealed by Red Bull’s CEO, Peter Bayer.
Peter Bayer’s comments
“We had agreed with Daniel not to make anything public, and we did so to protect the driver. It was his wish,” Peter Bayer told *Auto Motor und Sport*. “He believed until the very end that he could qualify ahead and prove his worth to everyone. I have never seen such mental strength in an athlete.” – he pointe out.
Unfortunately for Daniel Ricciardo, eliminated in Q1, Marina Bay only confirmed his struggles to match Yuki Tsunoda’s pace and the demands of Formula 1. “That Saturday was a terrible moment. You could already hear on the radio that his world had collapsed. We sat together in our office, and he told us we should let him race.”
Daniel Ricciardo finished the race in last place among the drivers who crossed the line. Adding to the disappointment, the team asked him to set the fastest lap near the end of the race—taking it from Lando Norris—which provoked an annoyed reaction from McLaren CEO Zak Brown.
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