The future of Daniel Ricciardo in Formula 1 seems uncertain.
After the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, the driver for RB broke down in tears. Ahead of the United States Grand Prix on October 20, Ricciardo may be replaced by Red Bull junior driver Liam Lawson, according to some publications. Ricciardo’s race on Sunday was probably his last Formula One race if Lawson replaces him before the next event.
After the Grand Prix, Ricciardo, 35, paused briefly before getting out of his vehicle. Even though he had trouble the entire race, Ricciardo managed to record the fastest lap just before the finish line with a late pit stop. He stopped race winner Lando Norris from receiving an additional point for running the fastest lap.
Ricciardo’s F1 comeback hasn’t gone well. Before the 2023 season, Ricciardo signed a reserve driver contract with his former Red Bull team, having spent the previous two fruitless seasons at McLaren. After Nyck De Vries’ poor performance in the first eleven races of 2023, Red Bull decided to replace him with Daniel Ricciardo.
Before the Dutch Grand Prix, Ricciardo participated in two races for RB, the team that was once known as AlphaTauri. However, he damaged his wrist. He came back for the last five races of the campaign when he finished eighth in Mexico City, his highest finish of the year.
Ricciardo hasn’t been able to surpass that outcome this season. With finishes of seventh in Montreal, ninth in Austria, and tenth at Spa, he has already accumulated points in just three races. Compared to teammate Yuki Tsunoda’s 22 points, he only has 12.
It’s highly possible that Lawson won’t have a ride in 2025 if Ricciardo is replaced. Sergio Perez’s position at Red Bull is the only other available spot on the grid. Furthermore, Ricciardo is unlikely to be a viable replacement for Perez in 2025 if he does not play for the junior squad until the end of the season.
If Ricciardo’s Formula One career does end, he will have had eight victories in fourteen seasons. 2014 was his greatest season, as he finished third in the standings, won three races, and finished on the podium eight times. Before leaving Red Bull ahead of the 2019 season to join Renault, he won twice for the team in 2018. With the squad that is now known as Alpine, he spent two fruitless seasons before earning his first professional victory with McLaren in the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
