If Daniel Ricciardo has completed his final F1 race in Singapore, the Australian will be remembered for signing off with class even when critics and criticism rained down on him.
The Australian veteran will reportedly be dropped after the Singapore GP to make way for Red Bull’s young gun Liam Lawson.
Ricciardo has been struggling with Red Bull’s second team and was hoping to return to the main team for his final swansong.
That fire burned a little brighter as Sergio Perez’s season slumped, but Ricciardo couldn’t find the results in the RB car to claw his way back up the pecking order.
Throughout the season, Ricciardo has been forced to fend off criticism over his age, his form and whether he deserved to remain on the grid at the expense of a young driver like Lawson.
Former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve was the most vocal, tormenting the Australian that he should leave if he “can’t do it” and belittling his past achievements at Red Bull.
That criticism peaked after Ricciardo was beaten by teammate Yuki Tsunoda in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix.
Ricciardo was reduced to tears when he realised he had raced his last F1 event.
Ricciardo revealed that Red Bull superstar Max Verstappen had sent him a message of support earlier in the season.
During his time in Japan, Ricciardo was also branded a “terrorist” by world champion Max Verstappen for his competitive driving in a kart race.
But the Australian has now revealed that the Red Bull champion has been the only driver to send a message of support following the disaster in Japan.
“After Japan this year I got a lot of criticism and he was one of the only ones who texted me,” Ricciardo said.
He said: ‘Mate, keep your head up, we know what you’re capable of, don’t listen to the noise.’
“I respect and appreciate him very much.”
It was a moment of class that F1 fans applauded ahead of Ricciardo’s likely retirement from the grid.
Ricciardo received a guard of honour and a round of applause when he returned to Red Bull after the Singapore GP.
“That’s the kind of support and respect we love to see between drivers. Max shows true sportsmanship and class,” one fan posted.
“I’m not surprised by Max, always sincere, Daniel is the cheerful person in the drivers’ camp, we will miss you,” added another.
“That duo, even if they weren’t fighting for championships, was the most entertaining duo ever to grace F1,” commented another.
This comes after Ricciardo was given a guard of honour by Red Bull when he returned to the headquarters after the race in Singapore, knowing it was likely to be his last for the team.
The team gave the Australian a loud applause and there were emotional hugs all around in a touching tribute to the 35-year-old.
While it was a moment of respect and gratitude, Australian F1 fans still felt Ricciardo deserved a better end to his time at Red Bull.
“Sad to see him go, I hope another team gives him a chance,” posted one fan.
“Daniel deserves a much better farewell. Let the season end,” added another.
“It’s obviously over, right? Danny deserves better. This can be a cruel sport sometimes,” lamented another.
The Australian driver took some time in his car after the race to savour the moment.
New Zealand driver Liam Lawson is likely to take Ricciardo’s place at RB for the final six races of the season to prepare for next year.
Ricciardo himself appears resigned to his fate and took a minute in his car after the gruelling 62-lap race to reflect on what was likely his final race.
His team remained silent during the final lap in an apparent show of respect, allowing him to enjoy his final moments as an F1 driver.
And Ricciardo himself admitted that he simply wanted to “savour the moment”.
“It’s a lot of emotions, because I’m aware that it could be that and I think it’s also just being exhausted after the race,” Ricciardo explained.
‘It’s like a flood of so many emotions and feelings and exhaustion.
“The cockpit is something I’ve gotten used to for many years. I just wanted to savour the moment.”
