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Speculation ran rampant in Singapore on Thursday that Ricciardo could be ousted from his RB drive following this weekend.
It’s a move the 35-year-old didn’t entirely rule out, though emphasised he expects any decision over his future to relate to 2025.
Ricciardo has been solid but unspectacular this season, building from a slow start that saw speculation swirl that he could be replaced by Liam Lawson in time for the Miami Grand Prix.
While that didn’t come to fruition, and his performances did improve, rumours surrounding the eight-time race winner’s future have never been far away.
A decision on the RB seat alongside Yuki Tsunoda is poised to be made for 2025 post-Singapore. That could spell the end of Ricciardo’s F1 career.
“I really don’t know what’s going to happen,” he confessed.
“What’s crazy about the sport is, and now this is me just talking a bit of shit, but I go and get a podium this weekend, then I’m probably the hottest thing in the sport.
“That’s the kind of merry-go-round we’re on, and I know it can change so quickly.
“I’m aware that things are hotting up, so to speak, but I just have to try and get my head down this weekend.”
Ricciardo returned to F1 in place of Nyck de Vries, who failed to shine at AlphaTauri (as RB was then known) through the opening half of 2023.
Third driver at Red Bull Racing at the time, Ricciardo was slotted in with the hope he’d rebuild his career, having endured two difficult seasons with McLaren.
The six months he spent on the sidelines were valuable with the West Australian admitting he’d fallen out of love with the sport.
His time away saw that rekindled and he returned determined to rebuilds his stalled career and ultimately return to Red Bull Racing – he was not interested in simply being on the grid to make up the numbers.
“I definitely have fallen back in love with the sport,” he confessed.
“I’ve still enjoyed this season, even though I haven’t been stoked with every weekend that I’ve done.
“I’ve enjoyed going racing. I’ve enjoyed just the competition again, and driving.
“So from that point of view, I still have a lot of love for the sport.
“But I also have to remind myself, okay, why did I come back? It was to try and be at the front again.
“I enjoy it, but when you’re not in the points, for sure, it’s less enjoyable.
“I’m also 35. I’ve been at the front, I’ve experienced the champagne. I just don’t want to hang on to something that might not ever come to fruition again.
“I’ve certainly had those conversations in my head,” he continued, speaking about what his Plan B is.
“I wouldn’t say that I would jump at any opportunity next year. No, that’s not the case.”
What that might mean for 2025 should he fail to land the RB drive is uncertain.
Ricciardo has admitted he’s closed the door on Audi discussions, with Valtteri Bottas expected to be announced there ahead of the United States Grand Prix.
It would therefore likely mark the end of the F1 journey, and potentially the end of Ricciardo’s motorsport career.
“IndyCar still scares me,” he admitted.
“I’ve thought about it because I also thought about it a couple years ago when I knew that I wasn’t going to start the ’23 season.
“But I don’t know. I’m still a competitor, I know I still have a lot of fire in me, but maybe that itch is scratched doing something else.
“Just being in the sport and fighting for maybe a 10th place every now and then, it’s maybe the same as doing another series.
“And no disrespect to other series, I’m a big fan of NACAR and a lot of other forms of motorsport, but because I’ve been there and experienced the highest of highs, will I get true fulfilment doing something else – and no guarantee I’ll be awesome doing something else?
“I’d probably say no more than yes.
“Because I’ve already experienced a little bit of it, I don’t have a fear of not swiping into the paddock,” he added.
“I’ve loved it and it’s great, but I’ve also fortunately made friends with other athletes over the years who have been in a similar position and [know] what phase two of life looks like.
“I think there’s a lot to do, there’s a lot of opportunity.
“It’s not anything I’m scared of, but standing here today, I would still love to compete and love to do it.
“But if that’s not the case, we’ll see what happens.”
