Daniel Ricciardo has been dropped by VCARB after the Singapore Grand Prix with Liam Lawson confirmed to replace him for the final six races of the 2024 season. The New Zealander will partner Yuki Tsunoda ahead of a full-time drive in 2025.
The 35-year-old has featured on the grid in each of the past 14 seasons, but with Sergio Perez expected to continue with Red Bull and Sauber reportedly leaning towards renewing Valtteri Bottas’ deal, that run looks set to end for Ricciardo.
Lawson’s arrival on the grid has been expected for some time. Helmut Marko publicly stated that an announcement on his future would be made after the race in Singapore, and the 22-year-old has been ever-present in the VCARB garage this season after impressing during his appearances as Ricciardo’s deputy in 2024.
Team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed Ricciardo’s exit in a statement that red: “Everyone here at VCARB would like to thank Daniel for his hard work across the last two seasons with us.
“Daniel has been a true gentleman both on and off the track and never without that smile. He will be missed, but will always hold a special place within the Red Bull family.
“He has brought a lot of experience and talent to the Team with a fantastic attitude, which has helped everyone to develop and foster a tight team spirit.”
While Red Bull chief Christian Horner added: “From the moment you arrived at Red Bull it was obvious you were so much more than just a driver. Your constant enthusiasm, sense of humour and attitude will leave an indelible legacy on the Team here in Milton Keynes and F1 as a whole.
“Thank you for the wins, smiles, songs (and I wish I could say the shoeys), you will always be a special part of the Red Bull Family. 8 wins, 32 podiums, 1329 points. These statistics and accolades are not the only measure of who you are and what you have achieved. Thank you Daniel.”
The next steps for Ricciardo are now unclear. NASCAR and IndyCar have both been touted as potential landing spots for the 35-year-old, although he admitted that the latter ‘still scares him’ ahead of the race in Singapore.
A one-off NASCAR appearance isn’t off the table though. The likes of Kamui Kobayashi, Kimi Raikkonen and Daniil Kvyat have all tried their hand behind the wheel in recent years, and Ricciardo has a long-standing interest in the series. His selection of the No.3 was even inspired by the legendary Dale Earnhardt.
“I grew up a fan of NASCAR. I’d like to drive a NASCAR, I’d love to drive around Daytona for example,” he admitted. “But would I like to compete? Yes and no. I know it’s not what I grew up doing and I’ll probably get smoked. [So] I don’t know if I need that [but] I would love to experience it.”
No matter what happens next, Ricciardo goes out with an impactful moment. The veteran Australian scored the fastest lap of the race on his final tour of the Marina Bay Street Circuit, giving a helping hand to former team-mate and championship leader Max Verstappen in the process.
