2009 world champion Jenson Button commented on Daniel Ricciardo’s sudden departure from Formula 1. After the Singapore Grand Prix in September, Red Bull announced that the Australian would be replaced by Liam Lawson for the final six races of the 2024 F1 season. During the Asian weekend, rumors had already circulated that the former Australian driver would be replaced, marking the end of his F1 career.
Speaking on Sky Sports F1’s podcast, Jenson Button explained why he wished to see Daniel Ricciardo compete for the entire year.
“It’s a strange situation because there’s only one team that swaps drivers mid-season, that takes them out of the seat mid-season, or after three races, or after six races, and that team is Red Bull and AlphaTauri,” Jenson Button said.
“So it’s unusual, and I’ve never seen it in my career unless someone is crashing at every race and they say, ‘You know what? We can’t afford to have you in the car.’ It’s strange. I’ve never felt comfortable with it because I think a driver deserves a full season to show what they can do, because that’s what it’s about, right? It’s about a championship and how many points you can score over the course of a season, not just halfway through—but they’ve always done things differently.” – he pointed out.
Jenson Button praised Daniel Ricciardo for his excellent F1 career, citing his season alongside Sebastian Vettel and his underrated stint at Renault.
“And, to be fair, Daniel also did a few races in a season, so it’s tough,” he added. “I think it’s hard for Daniel to accept the results he’s had recently because he’s an exceptional talent. He really is. Jumping into Red Bull when he did [in 2014] and going up against Sebastian Vettel, going up against Max, and being as competitive as he was, it was incredible. Truly.” – the former Formula 1 driver added.
“And then we also saw glimpses of that at Renault, before it became Alpine. It took him a bit to get going, but then he was super quick against Hulk [Nico Hulkenberg], whom we all highly respect. But it didn’t materialize at McLaren and AlphaTauri, and it’s a real shame. And why? I don’t know.”
Jenson Button doesn’t believe Daniel Ricciardo’s poor form in recent seasons is due to age, but he’s unsure of the real reason for his downturn: “It’s not his age. He’s not old. Look at what Fernando Alonso can do,” Button explained. “So the only person who knows is probably Daniel, and I feel sorry for him because to be so high for most of your career and then to fall off in the last few years, it’s tough. But I think, from what I’ve heard, he’s made peace with it and has his whole life ahead of him.” – he concluded.
Over the years, many have highlighted Daniel’s value and his contribution to Formula 1, particularly his late braking that allowed him to overtake other drivers, becoming his trademark. He proved his worth at Red Bull, but once he left the Austrian team, he started facing difficulties and wasn’t the same driver. Perhaps Daniel Ricciardo himself realized that his time in F1 was over, but he still has a life ahead of him and could return to compete in other categories.
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