Sergio Perez sends message to Daniel Ricciardo after winning Red Bull seat battle

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The news that Daniel Ricciardo will be leaving Visa Cash App RB has rocked the world of Formula 1.

Months of speculation have led to this moment, with the Aussie facing increased pressure to keep his spot in the pinnacle of motorsport.

Many believed that the Singapore Grand Prix would be his final race, given his emotional interviews to the press. Sure enough, the suspicions would be confirmed as Ricciardo will be replaced by Liam Lawson for the remaining six races of the season.

The Kiwi driver had a brief cameo last season with AlphaTauri as he stood in for the injured Ricciardo for five races, putting in some solid performances. After spending much of 2024 on the sidelines, the 22-year-old will be given his chance to prove himself at RB, but comments on Lawson’s Instagram may have undercut his joy as they share their issues with Red Bull’s decision.

This is down to Ricciardo’s brutal exit by not getting to finish the season; something that has become quite common at Red Bull with Nyck de Vries suffering a similar fate last season as he was axed after just 10 races.

Sergio Perez says it was a ‘pleasure’ to share the grid with Daniel Ricciardo

Understandably, Ricciardo’s F1 departure has become much more significant than Lawson’s signing, especially given that Craig Slater understands that Ricciardo’s F1 career as a driver is now over.

The 35-year-old made 257 race starts and won eight races, grabbed three pole positions and 32 podiums across a career that spanned 14 seasons.

READ MORE: The best moments of Daniel Ricciardo’s career in Formula 1

Several drivers have flooded Ricciardo’s social media with messages of support. David Coulthard had just three words for Ricciardo as the former Red Bull driver celebrated his fantastic career.

Another driver to share a message to the Aussie was Sergio Perez. Although never teammates, the two both joined F1 in 2011 and have raced alongside each other throughout their careers, working at Red Bull in 2023 as Ricciardo returned to the team as a reserve driver.

Writing on his Instagram story, the Mexican said: “It has been a pleasure to share so many years together and look [at] everything you have accomplished.

“You can be very proud as we all are of you.

“Enjoy the next chapter, bro.”

Could Sergio Perez also soon be out of Red Bull?

Perez has been another driver under threat of losing his Red Bull seat, but as it stands, the Mexican will keep his spot in F1 until the end of the season.

In theory, Perez has a contract with Red Bull until at least 2026, but his struggles with the team have been very much apparent. The 34-year-old has not finished on the podium since China or in the top five since Miami, sitting eighth in the standings with six races to go.

It is understood that Lawson has joined RB with the view of potentially replacing Perez at Red Bull, as the Kiwi driver eyes a permanent seat in 2025.

While his seat is safe for now, Perez’s days in F1 could soon be numbered if he cannot improve the torrid run of form he finds himself in.