Daniel Ricciardo’s last race in Formula 1
In the 15 editions of the Singapore Grand Prix, Daniel Ricciardo has claimed a total of four podiums (all consecutive and with Red Bull from 2014 to 2017), without ever managing to reach the top step. However, last Sunday’s race on the Marina Bay street circuit may not only have been the Australian’s final race at this track, but potentially the conclusion of his Formula 1 career.
Liam Lawson edging closer to Faenza
In recent post-race interviews, the smiling Racing Bulls driver did not directly confirm or deny the rumors of his possible replacement by Liam Lawson starting from the next GP, rumors further fueled by Helmut Marko’s statements about promoting the young New Zealander to the Faenza team. However, the message was clear. While commenting emotionally on what he was feeling at the moment, the 35-year-old spoke to reporters with a statement that was anything but hopeful about his future: “I’m not at all sure I’ll see you again after today.”
Max Verstappen’s comments
Daniel Ricciardo, therefore, seems far from fully convinced of continuing his F1 career, but one person who urged the 35-year-old not to have any regrets was his former teammate, Max Verstappen: “Daniel is a fantastic guy. I think he’s proven himself to be a great Formula 1 driver,” he said to the media in Singapore. “He’s my friend. I think, in general, finding yourself in this kind of position is never great. On the other hand, I don’t think he should feel sorry for himself. Sometimes things don’t go the way you want at certain points in your career, but he’s still achieved much more than most people could dream of in their lives. So, even if this were, let’s say, the last race or whatever, he can still look back on something incredible that very few people have managed to achieve or experience in life. He could still race in other categories, or maybe relax and enjoy life a lot. Why not? He’s a great guy. For me, it’s not really about whether he deserves to be here or not. Many people deserve it, and others don’t. That’s just life, in all sports. That’s how it goes.”
2024 has been a year full of ups and downs for the Australian, struggling in the first part of the season before bouncing back in Canada, with other performances that even put him in ‘pole position’ as a potential replacement for Sergio Perez at Red Bull after the Belgian GP, at least until the Mexican was confirmed: “It’s very hard to comment on these things because you can’t really see inside the team, right?” the Dutchman continued, referring to Daniel Ricciardo’s form. “From the outside, maybe people always expect or want more. It’s just that, in my opinion, it’s very difficult to have a great run of form in a mid-field team. Everyone hopes for something more, and I believe he does too. You always want to improve, of course. Every year, you want to become a better driver, and sometimes that works out better than other years.” – Max Verstappen concluded.
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