‘Thank you’: Daniel Ricciardo’s stunning fastest lap before ‘heartbreaking’ farewell
Red Bull haven’t yet pulled the plug on Daniel Ricciardo’s career but the F1 world and the man himself have seemingly already called time.
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If this is Daniel Ricciardo’s last act in a Formula 1 car, the Aussie will go out a hero despite another disastrous day in his Visa Cash App RB.
Rumours have been swirling essentially since early in the season that Ricciardo was about to be sacked in favour of young gun Liam Lawson, who has been waiting in the wings.
But the whispers became deafening this week as Red Bull close in on a deadline to pick up Lawson’s contract.
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New details emerged during the week that Lawson had clauses in his deal, including that the New Zealander would become a free agent if his contract wasn’t picked up by the end of September, and that he would be guaranteed five or six races before the end of the year.
There are now just six races left this year, the next in Austin, Texas in October.
If Ricciardo was going to impress enough to hang onto his seat, he ruined his chance with a Q1 exit in qualifying on Saturday.
After he started the day in 16th on soft tyres, Ricciardo’s first stint went nowhere as he was stuck in the middle of the back markers throughout the remainder of the race.
After a long stint on medium tyres, a second pit left Ricciardo at the back of the pack, with retirements for Williams’ Alexander Albon and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen leaving Ricciardo last of the finishers in 18th.
At the 58th lap, Sky Sports shared their driver of the day, which showed Ricciardo in third on 11 per cent.
“There might be a little farewell and thank you there for Daniel,” Martin Brundle said in commentary.
David Croft replied: “I wouldn’t be at all upset if Daniel Ricciardo got driver of the day today.
“If it is to be his last and he doesn’t get that chance to say farewell at Abu Dhabi … it’ll be a real shame.”
As Magnussen retired on the 60th lap, Ricciardo returned to the pits, putting some fresh soft tyres on.
“A third stop for Daniel Ricciardo — don’t go out like this with a three-stop when everybody else is doing a one-stop,” Ted Kravitz said.
But it quickly came clear that it Ricciardo was going for a fastest lap, which he achieved.
While it means nothing for Ricciardo’s point this season, what it did do was help Red Bull championship leader Max Verstappen. Ricciardo’s hot lap stopped Norris from winning the bonus point.
It all happened on a day Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez himself called “an absolute nightmare” as he finished 10th and was lapped.
It means blocking Norris from winning the fastest-lap bonus point was a rare highlight for the two Red Bull teams as the senior outfit dropped to 41 points behind on the constructors’ championship.
Ricciardo’s ‘farewell gift’ to Verstappen reignites conspiracy
The Singapore Grand Prix win for Lando Norris also saw the drivers’ championship race cut to 52 points.
However, it could have been 51 points — which is a magic number at this stage of the championship.
With six races and three sprints remaining in 2024, if Norris finished first in every race with the fastest lap bonus point and Verstappen finished second, Norris would score 51 points more than Verstappen — meaning the Dutchman would still win the world championship.
While it’s unlikely that it would go that neatly down the stretch, it shows just how hard it’ll be for Norris to snatch a maiden world title from here.
After the race, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said to Verstappen over team radio: “Your old friend Daniel picked up a fastest lap as well Max.”
“Thank you Daniel,” came the reply.
While it’s likely Ricciardo simply wanted to finish on a high, the fact he took the fastest lap point away from Verstappen’s championship rival sparked theories there was collusion between Red Bull and its junior team VCARB.
One fan wrote on Instagram: “Daniel’s farewell gift to Max.”
Another said: “Danny Rics final act of service for RedBull.”
A harsher critic quipoed: “Ricciardo did more than Checo has all season for Max.”
At the start of the season, McLaren CEO Zak Brown took aim at Red Bull having two teams on the grid.
“This A/B team and co-ownership, which is a whole other level of A/B team, is of big concern to us and the health of the sport and the fairness of the sport,” he said, per ESPN.
“I believe it’s a serious issue for the fairness of the sport, for the fans. That’s why it’s pretty much not allowed in any other form of major sport.
“I’d like to see us as an industry focus on that before it gets to a level of being where Formula 1 once was, which is very out of balance, because people are playing by the rules but a different set of rules.”
Earlier this year, F1 rejected American outfit Andretti’s bid to become the sport’s 11th team, expanding the grid to 22 drivers.
The result saw Ricciardo win the driver of the day award — more sentimentally than for his actual performance — before the Aussie spoke with reporters.
While no decision has yet come down from Red Bull about his future, Ricciardo was near tears while speaking with F1TV. He did hold his emotions together when speaking with Sky Sports.
“After yesterday qualifying out of position, we knew we had to try something and maybe get the safety car at the right time,” Ricciardo said.
“From what I saw, it was a tough race for overtaking, not many people were carving through cars. We went aggressive at the beginning on softs and thought maybe we’d get lucky at some point.
“It wasn’t to be but ultimately Friday looked promising, but we just weren’t quick enough, especially with race pace this weekend.”
When the attention turned to the fastest lap, Ricciardo said: “Why not?”
“If Max wins by a point, I’ve guaranteed myself a nice Christmas present,” Ricciardo laughed.
Asked about how he’d feel to say goodbye, Ricciardo was honest with himself.
“I also have to acknowledge why I came back after the McLaren stint,” he said.
“I always said I don’t just want to come back just to be on the grid, I want to try fighting back at the front and get back with Red Bull. Obviously it didn’t come to fruition.
“So then I also have to ask myself the question, ‘What else can I achieve? What else is there to really go for?’
“I put my best foot forward and maybe the fairytale ending didn’t happen but I also have to look back on what it’s been — 13 or so years. I’m proud.
“Typically the driver of the day isn’t something us drivers look too much into, but today I can say it’s something I’m appreciative of. That one today means a little something.”
Sky’s Simon Lazenby said the chat “seemed reasonably final”.
Anthony Davidson said the result “showed the fans emotion”, adding Ricciardo had been “pure entertainment” throughout his career.
Fans were also quick to react the fastest lap moment.
Aussie creator Jake Buckley posted: “Daniel Ricciardo beat Max Verstappen in 2 outta 3 seasons at Red Bull and would’ve won 3 outta 3 if not for mechanical issues.
“He beat Sebastian Vettel in his first season at Red Bull. He would’ve been a 2-time F1 Champion if it wasn’t for Mercedes’ dominance. Show him respect.”
F1 podcaster Matt Gallagher tweeted: “Seeing Daniel Ricciardo tear up in his post-race interview is heartbreaking.”
The Ferrari News account posted: “If this is it, thank you for all the memories.”
One wrote: “Daniel Ricciardo doing more to help Max win the title than Max’s teammate this year.”
A Verstappen fan commented: “Daniel Ricciardo is the real hero today, stopping the villain “Lando” getting the fastest lap and grand slam is an honourable thing to do. If this is the last thing he does in F1 he’ll be remembered as a hero.”
Ricciardo was also welcomed back to team hospitality to a standing ovation, which seems out of character for a P18 finish.
I don't want to be pessimistic but to congratulate Daniel Ricciardo like that means it was really his last race 💀💀 pic.twitter.com/Ng6zTECXo9
— Nana🪠(@lecomptedelee) September 22, 2024
Earlier Lazenby also posed the hypothetical over whether Ricciardo would have thrived had he stayed a Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen instead of going to Renault and then McLaren.
Speaking again with Sky later, Ricciardo was asked if he regretted moving away from Red Bull when he left at the end of the 2018 season.
“I think at the time in my head it made sense,” Ricciardo said.
“Was it the best decision of my career? Of course you could argue no it wasn’t. I’m OK with that.
“Also there was no guarantee that if I stayed that I would have done amazing and won this and that.
“Of course I’m not going to stand here and say that was the greatest decision of my life, but you live and you learn and eventually it brought me back into the family. I don’t want to look back and be sad or bitter about anything. Everything happens for a reason.”
Ricciardo said the fastest lap was “maybe to have one last crack at doing a fast one if it is to be it”.
Asked if it was the last time we’d see him, Ricciardo said: “Possibly.
“I have to acknowledge that. Obviously it’s been a bit of a race by race situation and I would have loved the weekend to go better — it didn’t — so I have to be prepared for this maybe being it.
“I do feel at peace with it. At some point it’ll come for all of us.
“When you’ve experienced the highs of winning, you can only fight for P10 for so long. There is nothing like that feeling and if that no longer is possible, and if it is becoming harder … maybe that’s 35, maybe that’s the competition becoming harder, who knows.”
If it is it, Ricciardo said he’d give himself time to work out what’s next, adding he was “grateful” for the ride.
The team also shared an interview from Verstappen talking about Ricciardo.
“Daniel and I, we go way back, we’ve always had a great relationship, great friendship, a lot of respect for each other,” Verstappen said.
“He’s just a great guy. I get on well, it just clicks. There’s no fake person, we just get along.
“He will for sure be remembered as a very fast driver, but also as a great guy in the paddock.”
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