Red Bull Racing has officially announced Daniel Ricciardo’s departure from Formula 1, marking the end of an era for the charismatic driver. The announcement was made Thursday afternoon through a heartfelt tribute on social media, poignantly titled “Thank You Daniel.” In the post, Red Bull highlighted Ricciardo’s invaluable contributions to the team, including seven of his eight career victories while driving for them.
Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies praised Ricciardo, saying: “He brought a lot of experience and talent to the team with a fantastic attitude, which helped everyone develop and foster a close-knit team spirit.” Mekies’ statement highlighted Ricciardo’s significant positive impact on team dynamics and morale, making his departure all the more poignant for the team and its fans.
Thanks Daniel ?
⁰Laurent Mekies on Daniel: “He brought a lot of experience and talent to the team with a fantastic attitude, which helped everyone develop and foster a close-knit team spirit. »#F1 #VCARB pic.twitter.com/cqKrbFAehU– Visa Cash RB F1 Team App (@visashapprb) September 26, 2024
In response to the announcement, Ricciardo took to Instagram to share his thoughts and gratitude.
“I have loved this sport my whole life. It’s wild and wonderful and it’s been a journey. To the teams and individuals who played their part, thank you. To the fans who love this sport sometimes more than me haha thank you. There will always be ups and downs, but it’s been fun and honestly, I wouldn’t change it. Until the next adventure,” Ricciardo wrote.
In a post-race interview after the Singapore Grand Prix, Ricciardo reflected on his situation, drawing parallels with his departure from McLaren in 2022.
“I tried to take advantage of it obviously [the Singapore Grand Prix weekend]a bit like the end of 22 with McLaren,” he said. “I think I’m in a much happier place now in the sport than I was then. So if that’s it, let’s say I have a little more peace and I’m proud of my career.
Ricciardo’s return to Formula 1 has been marked by its fair share of challenges, including a major setback due to an accident during the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, which resulted in a broken wrist. His return was further complicated by his struggle for consistency, although he had notable performances such as a fourth place in the Miami sprint and an eighth place in Canada. Mekies commented on Ricciardo’s mixed results.
“You and a few others have asked us many times: Can Daniel still do it? And I think the answer on the track was yes, he can still do it. Look at Miami, look at Canada, look at those races where he showed that pure speed was there then. Have we managed to do this consistently enough? No, we didn’t. It’s never the driver or the team. It’s both together, you know. So, have we found the happy medium often enough? Probably not. Has he shown that he still possesses ultimate speed when the sweet spot is there? Yeah, he certainly did.
The emotional farewell resonated throughout the motorsport community, with many reflecting on Ricciardo’s career, marked by both his innate speed and his ever-present smile. Mekies admitted that while Ricciardo’s ultimate speed was evident, the consistency needed for top performances was not always there. “It’s very possible that tomorrow you’ll find a car that leaves you in that sweet spot for more races than not. It would have been different if we had never seen Ultimate Speed, but we have seen it many times. And this is something for which we have never hidden our share of responsibility, trying to give him the car he needs to express himself and trying to find the right balance more often than not,” concluded Mekies .
As the motorsport world says goodbye to Ricciardo, it has been confirmed that Liam Lawson will become Yuki Tsunoda’s teammate for the remainder of the season.
