It’s official! Liam Lawson will be taking over for Daniel Ricciardo for the remainder of the season. Back in Singapore, there were several reports indicating that this was it for Daniel. Now those reports have become facts.
When it was said that Liam Lawson would take over for Ricciardo, many assumed that it would be for the next year as well. However, VCARB has signed Lawson until the end of the 2024 season only. This is an interesting fact that could go either way.
Why isn’t Liam Lawson confirmed for the 2025 season?
Last year, we saw Liam Lawson prove that he is worthy of an F1 seat. In the 5 races he participated in, he gave the team their best finishing position at the time. Red Bull knows that Lawson is worthy of a seat. So why didn’t they sign him for an extended period of time?
One possibility is that Red Bull wants Lawson available in case they need to replace Sergio Perez after this season. This year, Perez has cost the team a lot of points which could have been valuable in the Constructors’ Championship which is now being led by McLaren. So there is no doubt that Red Bull will be looking at their options to see if they can get a better driver. Lawson could be that driver.
🚨 | BREAKING: Liam Lawson signs for VCARB with immediate effect
The 22-year-old New Zealander who is also Red Bull’s reserve driver has signed a contract until the end of the season after impressing in both F1 testing and the junior series.#F1 #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/s4HqAWdA3s
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) September 26, 2024
Another possibility is that maybe Red Bull are still not very confident with how Lawson will perform over a season. If Lawson is not able to perform well with VCARB, Red Bull will want to lose him and get another young talent such as Isack Hadjar or Ayumu Iwasa into the car.
But given that Lawson has already shown a strong race pace in the 5 races he took part in last year, it is more likely that Red Bull is waiting to see if they need to put Lawson in the main Red Bull Racing team.
Daniel Ricciardo says goodbye to F1
Given that this was Daniel Ricciardo’s 14th season in Formula 1, he is aware that he probably won’t come back to the grid. He has accepted that reality and is prepared for it. Just as VCARB made their announcement, Ricciardo shared a statement on social media.
“I’ve loved this sport my whole life. It’s wild and wonderful and been a journey. To the teams and individuals that have played their part, thank you.”
“To the fans who love the sport sometimes more than me haha thank you. It’ll always have its highs and lows but it’s been fun and truth be told I wouldn’t change it. Until the next adventure.”
Daniel Ricciardo’s statement after parting ways with VCARB:
“I’ve loved this sport my whole life. It’s wild and wonderful and been a journey. To the teams and individuals that have played their part, thank you.”
“To the fans who love the sport sometimes more than me haha thank… pic.twitter.com/O4GCELJeWc
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) September 26, 2024
This is exactly as it sounds. A farewell message from Daniel after 14 cheerful seasons in Formula 1. Although Ricciardo did not win a Championship, he was one of the most talented drivers to sit in that cockpit. During his Red Bull days, it looked as though he would be a future F1 Champion. He was the only Red Bull driver to beat Max Verstappen on a consistent basis.
His race wins in Formula 1 were never boring. He always managed to make a show out of them all. One of his best moments during the 2017 Azerbaijan GP was when he pulled off a triple overtake and won the race later. He has provided us with some of the best highlight reels in modern F1 and he will be missed.
What are your favourite Daniel Ricciardo moments in F1? Lay them down in the comments section below.
