Giedo van der Garde tells struggling F1 driver to quit racing and ‘start making television’

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Several Formula 1 drivers look set to drop off the grid at the end of 2024. The field stayed the same over the winter for the first time in history, but there has been a shake-up in this year’s market.

Kevin Magnussen is among the casualties. The Dane, who received a one-race ban for the Azerbaijan GP earlier this month after accumulating too many penalty points, has lost his Haas drive after the signings of Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon.

There’s still a seat available at Sauber alongside his former teammate Nico Hulkenberg. But there’s no indication that Magnussen is in the running for that vacancy.

Valtteri Bottas is the favourite to partner Hulkenberg after months of uncertainty. Even when a series of established drivers turned down the chance to join the Audi project, Bottas faced competition from youngsters like Gabriel Bortoleto and Franco Colapinto, who, incidentally, may drop into a reserve role at Williams when Carlos Sainz arrives.

A new deal for Bottas would spell the end for teammate Zhou Guanyu. Zhou brings £27m in sponsorship money but that’s no longer a game-changer for Sauber with the backing of Audi.

Elsewhere, Daniel Ricciardo could follow Logan Sargeant in losing his seat midway through the campaign. Red Bull are expected to promote Liam Lawson at Ricciardo’s expense for the final six races.

Giedo van der Garde urges Daniel Ricciardo not to keep racing

Ricciardo has largely struggled at RB in 2024. He trails Yuki Tsunoda 12-6 in qualifying and he’s only scored 12 points, 10 fewer than the Japanese driver.

If he drops out of F1 – Ricciardo isn’t in talks with Audi – then he’d theoretically be a top target for several teams in alternative series given his pedigree. He has eight Grand Prix wins and 32 podiums to his name.

The World Endurance Championship is already home to numerous ex-F1 drivers. The list includes 2009 world champion Jenson Button, Mick Schumacher and the driver Ricciardo replaced in 2023, Nyck de Vries.

But speaking on De Race Show, Giedo van der Garde suggested that Ricciardo should stop racing altogether. He thinks he should pivot towards the media and marketing instead.

He said: “If he really wants to keep racing, I know a lot [of drivers] are going to do Endurance. That guy should just start making television because he is a personality. I also think he will do very well. He will do a bit of marketing.”

The two partners pushing to keep Daniel Ricciardo at RB

It’s not yet guaranteed that Ricciardo will lose his RB seat. He seemed resigned to that outcome post-Singapore but no announcement has been made.

Title sponsors Visa and Cash App are pushing for Ricciardo to stay. It’s unclear how much influence they exert, but Lawson is still awaiting confirmation.

If he does ‘amazingly well’, Nico Rosberg says Lawson could replace Sergio Perez next year. That, in turn, could offer Ricciardo hope of returning to RB should he desire.

Given the mentally draining events of recent years, he may decide that now is the time to stop regardless. Ricciardo has spoken of a love for tennis, and may look towards those interests outside F1.