F1 cameras pick up how Liam Lawson reacted to Daniel Ricciardo’s Q1 exit at Singapore Grand Prix

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Daniel Ricciardo suffered a Q1 exit in what may be his final qualifying session at the Singapore Grand Prix. There are strong rumours that Ricciardo will lose his seat to Liam Lawson for the final six races.

If Christian Horner greenlights the driver change at the junior team, then that could mark the end of Ricciardo’s F1 career. There’s only one seat remaining elsewhere on the grid and he’s not believed to be in contention at Audi.

It’s unclear whether a strong performance from the Australian at Marina Bay could inspire a rethink. The team’s decision may already have been made.

But Ricciardo’s doubters within the Red Bull set-up have been vindicated after his disappointing qualifying display on Saturday. He could only manage P16, while teammate Yuki Tsunoda reached Q3.

Ricciardo set a 1:31.085 on his final lap in Q1, which proved to be just over a tenth too slow. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was the driver directly above the cut-off.

Tsunoda set a 1:30.716 in the same session and extended his overall lead versus Ricciardo to 12-6. It’s the third time this season that the 35-year-old has been eliminated in the first segment.

Liam Lawson knew that Daniel Ricciardo would be knocked out in Q1 at Singapore Grand Prix

As has been customary this year, reserve driver Lawson watched on from the RB garage. Ricciardo’s time was initially good enough for 12th place, but he dropped down the order as his competitors improved.

Shortly after he crossed the line, the F1 world feed broadcast cut to Lawson in the garage. The RB team member next to him appeared to say ‘it’s not enough, is it?’.

In response, Lawson grimaced and simply said ‘no’. His prediction proved to be accurate, though he showed no signs of satisfaction at his rival’s misfortune.

The New Zealander produced an excellent qualifying showing at Marina Bay last year. He reached Q3 for what was then AlphaTauri, knocking out Max Verstappen in Q2.

Anthony Davidson explains why Daniel Ricciardo is set to lose RB seat after speaking to his engineer

David Croft thinks Ricciardo could still be on the grid in 2025. If Lawson comes in and underperforms he says, Horner could restore him alongside Tsunoda.

But based on how the 22-year-old fared last year, he’ll be expected to seize his opportunity. Red Bull will be eager to look towards the future with Lawson rather than persisting with a driver who increasingly looks to be past his best.

Ricciardo will leave Formula 1 with a fine list of accolades. In addition to his eight Grand Prix wins, he’s bagged three pole positions and piled up 32 podiums.

But according to Sky Sports F1’s Anthony Davidson, Ricciardo’s engineer says modern cars don’t suit him. They’re apparently at odds with his ‘very precise’ driving style, which partly explains his struggles since the start of 2022.