Ricciardo is fired by Red Bull and is immediately replaced by Lawson at sister team RB

Daniel Ricciardo, one of the most popular and likeable drivers of the formula 1 Grid, was released by Red Bull Racing on Thursday and will be immediately replaced by Liam Lawson.

The 35-year-old Ricciardo knew Singapore Grand Prix It was probably his last F1 race – essentially confirmed when his RB team called him into the pits before the last lap to give the Australian the opportunity to drove the fastest lap of the race.

Ricciardo hit the mark – taking a bonus point away from title rival Lando Norris and indirectly helping Max Verstappen in his quest for his fourth consecutive drivers’ title – and sat in his car for an unusually long time after the race, enjoying his final moments.

As he finally made his way back to the paddock, the Australian had to walk through a sort of guard of honour made up of supporters who lined up and applauded him.

Ricciardo admitted on Sunday that it was likely his last race and said he had hoped to use his time at RB to campaign for a return to the main Red Bull team, but the “fairytale ending” he had hoped for did not come.

“Everyone here at VCARB would like to thank Daniel for his hard work with us over the last two seasons,” said RB team boss Laurent Mekies said“He has brought a lot of experience and talent to the team and has shown a fantastic attitude which has helped everyone to develop and foster a strong team spirit.

“Daniel was a true gentleman both on and off the racetrack and always had a smile on his face. We will miss him, but he will always have a special place in the Red Bull family.”

Ricciardo won eight races in 14 seasons. His last victory came in 2021 at Monza while driving for McLaren. After the 2022 season, he was bought out of his McLaren contract and hired as a team ambassador for Red Bull.

That led to seven races in 2023 with Red Bull’s sister team. Ricciardo was given the full-time seat for 2024, but in 18 races he only finished in the points three times.

His best finishes in the championship were third place in 2014 and 2016 – in both years Mercedes dominated the season and Ricciardo, then at Red Bull, was practically the best of the rest.

When Verstappen joined Red Bull midway through the 2016 season, Ricciardo gradually moved into a supporting role. His career stalled after a move to Renault in 2019, and he was largely outclassed by Norris after his move to McLaren in 2021.

Ricciardo made a lasting impression in Formula One as one of the faces of the sport’s boom in the US, fuelled by the Netflix series Drive To Survive. However, he has shown no interest in moving to American motorsport, saying in Singapore last weekend that IndyCar racing on ovals “scared” him.

He doesn’t know what’s coming next.

“When I came into F1, everyone knew me as the happy, nice guy, but I have a killer instinct,” he said in the first episode, filmed during the 2018 season. “I firmly believe I can be world champion and for me it’s like, ‘Why else would I do this?'”

New Zealander Lawson will finish the season at RB alongside Yuki Tsunoda. Lawson took part in five F1 races last year, achieving a best result of ninth place. He was a stand-in when Ricciardo broke his hand in an accident.

Lawson has been Red Bull’s reserve driver since 2022 and made his Grand Prix debut last year at Zandvoort when Ricciardo was injured. He scored points for the team in his five races and finished ninth at the Singapore GP.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Liam. He already knows the team well. He drove for us last season and did well in difficult circumstances, so it will be a natural transition,” said Mekies. “It’s great to see young talent from the Red Bull family taking the next step. We look forward to sitting down and focusing on the rest of the season together.”

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AP Sports Writer James Ellingworth contributed to this report.

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