In the early hours of Friday morning, Speedcafe revealed Daniel Ricciardo had been dropped by RB, which was followed soon after by a social media post from the team confirming the news.
Then, 15 minutes later, a media release announced that Liam Lawson will be in the car from the United States Grand Prix.
Neither the RB post or release that followed included quotes from the drivers involved.
It was a subdued start to a career proper, and an even quieter exit for Ricciardo – not that the F1 world was about to allow that.
The announcement had been widely expected even leading into the Singapore Grand Prix with speculation the Australian could be ousted for the Marina Bay event.
An option in Lawson’s contract lapsed on the Sunday of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
By doing nothing, Red Bull Racing effectively guaranteed the New Zealander a drive for 2025.
That move was reinforced by Lawson’s appearance on its in-house Talking Bulls podcast in the days thereafter.
The writing was therefore on the wall for Ricciardo, who was without a contract for next season anyway.
But despite the intense speculation, the elephant in the room was never truly addressed over the course of the Singapore Grand Prix.
There were hints and acknowledgement from Ricciardo that the event may be his last, and his post-race body language and reception from the team certainly said it was.
Indeed, speaking to those in the paddock, it was an open secret; we all knew it was happening, but nobody associated with either Red Bull Racing or RB were giving away any more than a knowing smile.
Then, four days later, Ricciardo’s fate was confirmed on social media.
The handling of the situation has seen Red Bull come under fire from the media and fans alike who have argued it was not a befitting end for a driver of such calibre.
Ricciardo’s career spanned 258 race weekends, netted eight wins, 32 podiums and three poles.
Almost 800 drivers have competed in the world championship since 1950, and only 114 have won a race. Of those, only 36 have won more grands prix than Ricciardo – and 27 of those were world champions.
The Australian won more races that the likes of John Surtees (1964 world champion), Phil Hill (1961 world champion), and the same number as Denny Hulme (1967 world champion). His record surpassed legendary names like Gilles Villeneuve and Bruce McLaren. He’s won more than Charles Leclerc.
And while Ricciardo’s latter years struggled to match his early performances, his record ranks him among the all-time elite in F1.
Does a driver of that calibre not deserve more than a social media post, and a brief comment in a media release about another driver?
There is an argument that Ricciardo was fortunate to have had the opportunity with RB at all, and knew full well it could be whisked from under him at any moment.
Sources have told Speedcafe that the Australian stole the seat from Lawson in mid-2023, and again for 2024 after the New Zealander had been promised the drive.
If that’s the case, and knowing the Red Bull system as he does, can he have expected anything more?
A key element in this is when Ricciardo was told, and that point is unclear.
Some suggest he learned of his axing only hours before the Singapore Grand Prix, while others suggest he know his likely fate, but some elements needed to be checked off away from the race track.
The latter is supported by comments made by Lawson, who revealed he knew well ahead of time what was going to happen.
Those off-track elements are believed to be commercial and contractual.
It’s claimed there was pressure exuded by RB title sponsor Visa, which is suggested to have wanted Ricciardo for the United States, a market where he has become in many ways the face of F1.
Another element is thought to be contractual nuances which meant the end couldn’t be formally acknowledged in Singapore.
Whatever the case, the end of Ricciardo’s career, an eight-time race winner, was marked with a social media post and it begs the question: is that enough?
What do you think; was Ricciardo treated harshly or did Red Bull make the best of a no-win situation? Cast your vote below in this week’s Pirtek Poll.
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