Daniel Ricciardo swapped helmets with nine-podium driver he ‘likes a lot’ after final F1 race

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Daniel Ricciardo has almost certainly driven in his final Formula 1 race. There was no official farewell in Singapore, but virtually the entire paddock seemed to know RB’s announcement was coming.

Christian Horner has refused to rule out a return for Ricciardo but his stock appears irreparably damaged. This is the second time in three seasons he’s lost his seat, and he’s now suffered the ignominy of being dropped mid-season.

That wasn’t purely based on performance. Red Bull wanted to evaluate Liam Lawson as a potential replacement for Sergio Perez, and viewed the final six races as their only real opportunity to do so.

If Perez had been meeting expectations alongside Max Verstappen, then it’s likely Ricciardo would have kept his drive until Abu Dhabi before giving way to Lawson. That would have avoided a backlash and kept sponsors happy.

Indeed, while Visa and Cash App lobbied for Ricciardo to stay, commercial backing alone won’t be enough to get him back onto the grid. His Instagram post following RB’s announcement last month very much sounded like a farewell to F1.

Sky Sports reporter Craig Slater understands that Ricciardo won’t get another chance, having spurned Christian Horner’s lifeline. Horner offered him the chance to return to the junior team half a season after he lost his McLaren drive.

Daniel Ricciardo swaps helmets with Oscar Piastri amid RB farewell

On Thursday, Ricciardo shared his first social media post since the day of RB’s statement. It was a collection of photos from the Marina Bay weekend.

One of them shows him exchanging helmets with McLaren driver and fellow Australian Oscar Piastri. Piastri replaced Ricciardo at the end of 2022 but there has been little sign of bitterness on the veteran’s part.

The youngster’s rise will comfort the legions of Australian F1 fans who were saddened by Ricciardo’s exit. He’s won his first two Grands Prix this year and amassed nine podiums overall.

Ricciardo took eight victories and 32 podiums in his career but never managed to contend for a championship. Piastri, on the other hand, has shown the potential to win multiple titles.

What Oscar Piastri’s mum Nicole has said about Daniel Ricciardo

Speaking to RacingNews365 earlier this year, Ricciardo described Piastri as a ‘good kid’. The 35-year-old ‘likes him a lot’ after spending considerable time with him in the past couple of years.

Ricciardo never finished on the podium at his home race in Melbourne, posting a highest finish of fourth. Piastri matched that result earlier this year and should be able to contend for victory at next year’s season-opener.

Nicole Piastri had mixed emotions after her son landed an F1 seat, because she knew it would come at Ricciardo’s expense. She said: “Oh my god, Daniel. I love Daniel.”

While they share a homeland, the two drivers are somewhat different in character. Ricciardo was one of the most visibly passionate racers on the grid, whereas Piastri is a ‘killer’ like Max Verstappen.