Daniel Ricciardo, one of Formula 1’s most prominent names in racing, has been dropped by Red Bull Racing, according to a statement made by team principal Laurent Mekies on Tuesday. The news came as a bit of a shock to those who’ve grown fond of the driver, but the stamina to outperform isn’t there anymore, ultimately leading to Mekies’ decision to oust Ricciardo. The move has shocked many in the IndyCar community, as the driver only has six races to go before the end of the season.
22-year-old New Zealander Liam Lawson will replace him for the remaining races, giving Red Bull Racing a chance to assess him before making a final decision for the 2025 season. The move seems like Dejavu for Lawson, who raced for a team formerly Alpha Tauri, where he had already replaced Red Bull’s Ricciardo due to an injury. Lawson’s maiden F1 race will occur in Austin on October 20th at the United States Grand Prix.
Daniel Ricciardo’s Recent Pitfalls
Ricciardo, one of Formula 1’s most popular, who holds eight wins, seven of which were captured with Red Bull Racing, 32 podiums, and three pole positions, has made him highly respected in the racing community aside from the fact that he has a vibrant and easygoing personality. But he began losing his touch when he decided to leave Red Bull Racing for the first time in 2018.
The departure came from Daniel Ricciardo feeling like he didn’t measure up to his teammate, 61-time winner and former junior champion Max Verstappen. Verstappen quickly gained notoriety and a large fan base after his Spanish debut 2015, leaving Ricciardo in the cold. Because Ricciardo felt he couldn’t recover, he took his talent to Renault’s Alpine F1 Team, only to be outperformed by Lando Norris, prompting his return to Red Bull for the 2023 season as a reserve driver.
However, the driver would only continue to experience being outperformed by other teammates even though he was considered to replace Sergio Perez on the primary team. Next, Yuki Tsunoda would push him out of contention, meaning he could not return to Red Bull Racing as Perez was about to succumb to his fate because he also outperformed. The replacement, 22-year-old Liam Lawson, will finish the 2024 season before he attains his permanent position effectively immediately.
What Liam Lawson is Getting Out of It
Upon learning he would replace Daniel Ricciardo, one of the top names in Formula 1 racing, Liam Lawson wasn’t sure what to expect, but he did know he should jump at the chance for the seat with Red Bull Racing because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Though he’s faced with tough competition like benchmark contender Yuki Tsunoda and speculation that he’ll eventually be met with the same opposition as Daniel Ricciardo, he’s ready to rise to the challenge.
Lawson is no stranger to Red Bull Racing, having signed as the reserve driver in 2022. He is familiar with his teammate’s trajectories, giving him an obvious leg up on the competition, but he’ll still have to be on the attack. Perhaps he’ll be able to replicate his standout performance in Singapore when he reaches Quarter 3 with 12 minutes left, securing him a points finish, but only time will tell.
The performance began turning heads toward the promising young talent, so it’s no wonder he was brought in to replace Daniel Ricciardo for the remainder of the 2024 season. The opportunity will also give the young New Zealander a chance to gain promotion to the senior team as he’ll remain on with Red Bull Racing in 2025, and there’s no doubt he’ll make it happen.
Final Thoughts
Daniel Ricciardo has had his share of pitfalls over his last several seasons. He left Red Bull because he felt like he wasn’t enough compared to teammate Max Verstappen to join Renault’s Alpine F1 Racing team only to be outperformed by Lando Norris. The outperformance subsequently caused him to exit the team and return to Red Bull as the reserve driver.
As the reserve driver, Daniel Ricciardo succumbed to the same fate. Because his head didn’t seem to be in the game anymore, he was ultimately dropped and replaced by 22-year-old Liam Lawson for the remainder of 2024. The opportunity is enormous for Lawson and will likely be the highlight of his career, allowing him to stand out just enough to be moved up to the senior team for 2025.
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