Daniel Ricciardo departs RB as Liam Lawson returns for the last six rounds of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
- Red Bull’s junior team confirmed the decision at the Singapore Grand Prix, officially announcing it in a press release.
- Ricciardo, a 35-year-old Australian, ends his F1 career with eight victories in 257 grand prix starts over 14 seasons.
- Liam Lawson, a 22-year-old New Zealander, has a chance to secure a permanent seat for the 2025 season.
- The future of Sergio Perez is uncertain due to his underperformance, potentially paving the way for Lawson.
RB has confirmed Liam Lawson will replace Daniel Ricciardo for the remaining six rounds of the 2024 Formula 1 season. This decision, which was initially all but confirmed by Red Bull’s junior squad at the Singapore Grand Prix, marks the likely end of Ricciardo’s career in the sport. The 35-year-old Australian exits with eight victories from 257 grand prix starts over a 14-season tenure.
In an Instagram post, Ricciardo reflected on his journey in Formula 1, expressing gratitude towards the teams, individuals, and fans involved: ‘I’ve loved this sport my whole life. It’s wild and wonderful and been a journey.’ We understand that Ricciardo was formally informed of his departure in a personal meeting with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner in Singapore.
Although Lawson is only confirmed for the final six races of the 2024 season, he has a significant opportunity. After making a strong impression during a five-race stint last season, scoring points in Singapore and narrowly missing out on points in other races, Lawson can solidify his position for the 2025 season or potentially earn a promotion to the main Red Bull team alongside Max Verstappen.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies praised Ricciardo’s contribution and welcome Lawson with optimism. ‘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,’ Mekies stated. Regarding Lawson, Mekies added: ‘It’s great to see young talent from within the Red Bull family make the next step. We’re looking forward to getting our heads down and focusing on the rest of the season together.’
Highlighting the strategic implications of Lawson’s appointment, suggesting it may be an assessment of Lawson’s potential to replace Sergio Perez, whose performance has been disappointing. ‘The only scenario that really makes sense as to why they have dropped Ricciardo now is in order to assess his potential to replace Perez next season,’ Slater commented.
Lewis Hamilton took to social media to pay tribute to Ricciardo, stating: ‘It’s been an honour to compete with you over the years. I’ll never forget the battles, the laughs, and drinking out of your shoe.’ George Russell echoed similar sentiments, adding: ‘Going to miss you mate.’
Ricciardo’s exit comes after a challenging period in his career, including unfulfilled stints at Renault and McLaren. Despite being named as the Red Bull and RB reserve driver for 2023, his promising return was hindered by an injury, and he struggled to outperform teammate Yuki Tsunoda in 2024, trailing by 10 points in the Drivers’ Championship.
The 2024 Formula 1 season resumes with the United States Grand Prix in Austin from October 18-20. As the season progresses, all eyes will be on the performance of Lawson as he aims to make his mark in the sport.
The recent developments mark a pivotal moment in Formula 1, as Daniel Ricciardo’s tenure ends and Liam Lawson seizes a major opportunity in the sport.
