Daniel Ricciardo out of F1 as Red Bull gives VCARB seat to Liam Lawson

Daniel Ricciardo, one of the most popular and likeable drivers on the Formula 1 grid, was released by Red Bull Racing on Thursday and will be replaced immediately by Liam Lawson.

The 35-year-old Ricciardo knew at the Singapore Grand Prix it was likely his final F1 race — essentially confirmed when his RB team called him into the pits ahead of the final lap to give the Australian the opportunity to set the fastest lap of the race.

Ricciardo hit the mark — it took a bonus point away from title challenger Lando Norris and indirectly helped out Max Verstappen in his quest for a fourth consecutive drivers’ championship — then sat inside his car for an unusually long time after the race savoring his final moments.

When he finally began making his way back to the paddock, the Australian had to walk through an honor guard, of sorts, of supporters who were lined up applauding him.

Ricciardo acknowledged Sunday it was likely his last race, saying he had hoped to use his time at RB to make a case for returning to the main Red Bull team, but that he didn’t get the “fairytale ending” he wanted.

“Everyone here at VCARB would like to thank Daniel for his hard work across the last two seasons with us,” RB team principal Laurent Mekies said. “He has brought a lot of experience and talent to the team with a fantastic attitude, which has helped everyone to develop and foster a tight team spirit.

“Daniel has been a true gentleman both on and off the track and never without that smile. He will be missed, but will always hold a special place within the Red Bull family.”

Ricciardo won eight races over 14 seasons, with his final victory coming at Monza in 2021 when he won driving for McLaren. He was bought out of his McLaren deal after the 2022 season, and he was hired to return to Red Bull as a team ambassador.

That led to seven races in 2023 with Red Bull’s sister team. Ricciardo was given the seat full-time for 2024 but through 18 races he’s only finished inside the points three times.

His best finish in the championship was third in 2014 and 2016 — both years when Mercedes dominated the season and Ricciardo, then at Red Bull, was effectively best of the rest.

Verstappen’s arrival at Red Bull part-way through the 2016 season gradually saw Ricciardo move into a supporting role. His career stalled after a move to Renault at 2019, and after switching to McLaren in 2021, he was largely outclassed by Norris.

Ricciardo made a lasting impact on F1 as one of the faces of the sport’s boom in the United States driven by Netflix’s “Drive To Survive” series. But he has shown no interest in moving to American motorsports, and said at Singapore last weekend that racing IndyCar on ovals “scared” him.

He doesn’t know what’s next.

“When I got into F1, everyone knew me as the happy guy and the nice guy, but I do have a killer instinct,” he said in the first episode filmed during the 2018 season. “I do believe I can be world champion and for me it’s like, ‘Why else would I be doing this?’”

Lawson, from New Zealand, will finish the season at RB alongside Yuki Tsunoda. Lawson took part in five F1 races last year, with a best finish of ninth, as a replacement when Ricciardo broke his hand in a crash.

Lawson has been a Red Bull reserve driver since 2022, making his Grand Prix debut in Zandvoort last year when Ricciardo was injured. His five-race drive saw him score points for the team and he finished ninth at the Singapore GP.

“I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome Liam. He already knows the team well. He drove for us last season, and coped well under difficult circumstances, so it’ll be a natural transition,” Mekies said. “It’s great to see young talent from within the Red Bull family make the next step. We’re looking forward to getting our heads down and focusing on the rest of the season together.”

AP Sports Writer James Ellingworth contributed to this report.