Why Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 career ‘is over’ if he loses RB seat before the United States Grand Prix

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Visa Cash App RB could become the fourth team on the Formula 1 grid to line up with a driver pairing different from the opening race of the season at the United States Grand Prix.

Oliver Bearman’s one-race cameos at Ferrari and Haas in place of Carlos Sainz and Kevin Magnussen respectively were only temporary, while Franco Colapinto has shone at Williams as Logan Sargeant’s permanent replacement.

RB appear to have decided that for the final six races of the season, Daniel Ricciardo will make way for Liam Lawson.

Martin Brundle suggested that Ricciardo’s season may be over after the Singapore Grand Prix and the Australian managed to come away with a fastest lap and Driver of the Day win but no points.

Red Bull’s contract situation in Formula 1 is unique given they have four drivers signed up to a central contract at any one time.

Clauses are also inserted into Red Bull’s driver contracts that allow them to make changes at the drop of a hat if they think it’s necessary.

A clause in Lawson’s contract appears to have triggered this move as they were about to lose the Kiwi although he doesn’t have many options on the grid for next year if RB overlook him for 2025.

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Speaking on The Race Podcast, journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm talked about Ricciardo’s Formula 1 future beyond RB and his feelings towards staying in the sport.

Sauber don’t appear to be interested in Ricciardo as they try to solve their driver conundrum for next season.

That makes life tricky for the 35-year-old although that might not be a concern for him anymore.

Does Daniel Ricciardo have a future in Formula 1 beyond RB after emotional Singapore Grand Prix

Talking about Ricciardo’s eventful weekend at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Mitchell-Malm said: “He was being chaperoned by a Red Bull Communication representative as well as his own team’s representative.

“So, it has very much had the air of Ricciardo’s last dance and I think it means his F1 career is over as well because it’s not just, oh he’s going to lose his RB seat to Liam Lawson next year.

“It looks like he’s going to be replaced for the rest of this year’s races and with no Red Bull future, either at the second team or obviously in the senior team, which was his ultimate dream, there’s no one really who wants him, even though there’s technically one seat still available with Sauber.

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“Ricciardo doesn’t want to be here anymore anyway, that’s kind of the feeling I get.

“He’s kind of talked about seriously doubting whether he can actually go at it on a week-to-week basis with younger, better drivers.

“He feels that the level’s been raised now and he can kind of match it at his best, but he can’t match it every single time.

“And if there’s no Red Bull racing seat on the table anymore, he’s accepting that he’ll only be making up the numbers in the midfield if he tries to stick around and he doesn’t want to do that.”

Anthony Davidson heard peculiar Daniel Ricciardo radio messages at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix

Ricciardo spent plenty of time sitting in his car at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix and said he wanted to ‘savour the moment’ in the cockpit suggesting he knows that his time is likely to be up.

Anthony Davidson was surprised by the final radio messages between Ricciardo and RB as he pitted right at the end of the race to put on fresh soft tyres and set the fastest lap of the race.

Ted Kravitz has explained a scenario that could see Ricciardo return before the end of the year but that seems hard to imagine at this stage.

It would require Lawson’s return to F1 to go spectacularly badly or for Sergio Perez’s form to continue to nosedive.