Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 career is over – and he can have no complaints

Ricciardo had his sights set on Sergio Perez’s seat at Red Bull but he simply has not been up to scratch at RB

When handed a second chance in Formula One last summer, Daniel Ricciardo had his aspirations set higher than a paltry seat at Red Bull’s sister team. Talking to The Independent, the effervescent Australian made no secret of his desire to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull, with 2025 a realistic target. Yet what matters in this sport – beyond a joyous expression and personality – is twofold: the stopwatch and the standings.

Ricciardo, try as he might, has not been up to scratch on both. A crying shame, both for his fans and for fans of the sport. After round 18 of the 2024 season in Singapore last weekend, the 35-year-old is 14th in the championship standings but, more significantly, languishes 10 points behind his teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

The wielding of the axe loomed large throughout the weekend in the city-state and now it has been confirmed, with an RB statement on Thursday afternoon.

RB reserve driver Liam Lawson has been granted a long-awaited call-up and the New Zealander has been promoted to the cockpit ahead of round 19 in Austin on 20 October. Riccardo’s 257th, and final, race in F1 ended with him setting the fastest lap, denying former McLaren team-mate Lando Norris an extra point in his title tilt.

“I do feel, let’s say, at peace with it,” an emotional Ricciardo said after the race on Sunday. “At some point, it’ll come for all of us.

“I tried to get back into Red Bull, it didn’t work out, so then I also have to say, ‘Okay, what else am I ultimately doing here and trying to achieve?’... Let’s say maybe the fairytale ending didn’t happen, but I also have to look back on what it’s been.”

He elaborated further in a short post on Instagram on Thursday: “I’ve loved this sport my whole life. It’s wild and wonderful and 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 (sic) 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.”

Daniel Ricciardo has been dropped by RB (Getty Images)

Liam Lawson (left) has received the call-up to be Yuki Tsunoda’s teammate (Getty Images)

Ricciardo’s displays this season have been a microcosm of his last five years in F1, ever since he made the ill-advised decision to leave Red Bull at the end of 2018.

He’s only managed a top-10 finish three times this season (four if you include the sprint in Miami). By contrast, Tsunoda – whose spot at RB has already been confirmed for 2025 – has finished in the top 10 seven times.

Forgettable stints at Renault and McLaren followed his departure from Red Bull six years ago and even a shock win at Monza in 2021 could not dissuade McLaren chief Zak Brown from looking elsewhere, opting rather poetically for a younger, fresher Australian in Oscar Piastri.

For the papaya, a call that at the time looked harsh now looks like a masterstroke.

DANIEL RICCIARDO’S F1 CAREER

Teams: HRT (2011), Toro Rosso (2012-2013), Red Bull (2014-2018), Renault (2019-2020), McLaren (2021-2022), AlphaTauri/RB (2023-2024)

Wins: 8

Podiums: 32

Pole positions: 3

Points: 1329

Retirements: 38

Races: 257

Of course, much of that is due to Piastri’s impressive first 18 months. He is the sport’s most in-form driver over the last eight races. Food for thought for Ricciardo, both in terms of his troubles this year and the underlying feeling that it could have been him thriving in the quickest car on the grid at McLaren.

Ricciardo had shown sparks of his former speed since replacing the axed Nyck de Vries last July. Seventh in Mexico City last year; fourth in the sprint race in Miami in May. But they’ve been few and far between. And what makes the situation even more excruciating for him is that the prize he really wanted – a second shot with the big boys at Red Bull – was within his grasp.

Perez’s uninspiring form had given the driver known as the “Honey Badger” a genuine shot at returning as Max Verstappen’s teammate next year. Yet the opening of that door has come and gone. RB’s downturn in form in recent months, falling behind Williams and Haas in recent form in the battle of the backmarkers, has not helped. But Ricciardo has not eked out the maximum potential, week in, week out.

Ricciardo had eyed a spot at Red Bull, but Sergio Perez (left) has retained his seat (Getty Images)

That’s where you’re judged – and that’s where Ricciardo has fallen short, frustratingly unable to replicate the form which saw him win seven races at Red Bull in the best years of his career from 2014-2018.

A clause in Lawson’s contract means a decision needed to be made on his future. Shoving in the New Zealander for the remaining six races may seem harsh on Ricciardo, but that’s the way Red Bull work.

In fact, it was Lawson’s performance filling in for an injured Ricciardo around Singapore last year – ninth place, out-qualifying Verstappen – which may have just landed him a spot back on the 20-man grid, albeit 12 months later than he’d hoped.

But Ricciardo can have no complaints. He bowed out by failing to get out of the first stage of qualifying in Singapore, while his team-mate Tsunoda made it to Q3.

Until the end, he has been a step behind. IndyCar and endurance racing now look like Ricciardo’s most likely next step, should he wish to stay in competitive racing. Much to the dismay of the romantics and Drive to Survive superfans, with no other option on the table, the Australian’s second F1 exit will be his last.

Article originally published on 20 September 2024; amended on 26 September 2024