What Daniel Ricciardo told Liam Lawson at the Singapore Grand Prix once he knew he was being replaced

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The second permanent driver change of the 2024 Formula 1 season will formally be completed at the United States Grand Prix.

Fan favourite Daniel Ricciardo won’t be racing in Austin for RB after the team decided to switch him with promising youngster Liam Lawson.

Lawson deputised for Ricciardo last season when the Australian injured his hand at the Dutch Grand Prix.

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The Kiwi shone during his five races with AlphaTauri although Lawson found out in Singapore that he wouldn’t be offered a full-time contract.

That didn’t prevent him from going on to out-qualify Max Verstappen and scoring points that weekend and at every race this season, Lawson has been watching on from the RB garage to witness Ricciardo’s highs and lows.

Journalist Tom Clarkson was speaking on the F1 Nation Podcast about the 35-year-old’s final race.

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It’s hard to see Ricciardo returning to Formula 1 in the future and while his performance on the track hasn’t been spectacular, his presence off it will be felt.

Lawson comes in knowing he’s got a lot to live up to, and Oscar Piastri felt the same pressure when replacing Ricciardo at McLaren.

However, the eight-time race winner had some earnest words of wisdom for the 22-year-old ahead of his second debut in the sport.

What Daniel Ricciardo said to Liam Lawson after the Singapore Grand Prix

Talking about Ricciardo’s final race, Clarkson said: “After the race in Singapore, he knew it was his last race, yet he still went up to Liam Lawson after the race and said, good luck, you only get one crack at Formula One, make the most of it.

“It almost brings a tear to the eye when you hear things like that. And do you know what?

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“We had Christian Horner on the show last week and one of the things he said is that Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, wanted Daniel out of the car from Spain.

“So I’ve re-evaluated, I think, what Daniel’s done since Spain, knowing the added pressure that he had on him.

“And to think that he went straight out and finished ninth in Austria with all that added pressure just shows that there was a steeliness behind the smile, a wonderful character but my goodness he wanted it.”

Red Bull lining up Yuki Tsunoda’s replacement after axing Daniel Ricciardo

The driver situation in both Red Bull teams is never particularly clear and while three seats are already filled for 2025, that could still change before next season’s opener in Australia.

Sergio Perez is still under pressure and Lawson could step up to Red Bull should he impress against Yuki Tsunoda.

Tsunoda is expected to leave RB at the end of next season which would be in line with the end of Honda’s relationship with the team.

RB are said to already be lining up a replacement for Tsunoda from within their ranks as the Red Bull conveyor belt of young talent continues.

They won’t have the benefit of Ricciardo’s advice or words of wisdom but they will at least be fulfilling the premise of the RB team which is to act as a training ground for potential Red Bull drivers.

They’ll have to hope they’re given more of a chance than Tsunoda ever has been to join Max Verstappen in the senior Red Bull team.