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Welcome again to Prime Tire, the place we’re questioning if I picked the appropriate Thursday to take off. *checks the Web* Nope. I positive didn’t.
Daniel Ricciardo is out of F1. I’m Patrick, and each of our writers will likely be alongside shortly. Let’s dive in.
An odd finish to a magnetic F1 profession. (HOCH ZWEI)
An F1 Star Exits
Daniel Ricciardo out, Liam Lawson in
RB confirmed on Thursday that Daniel Ricciardo is out at sister staff RB, with Liam Lawson set to exchange the veteran for the remainder of 2024. Lawson has stated he’s not assured the seat for 2025 but.
It’s a sudden profession finish for one in every of F1’s most recognizable characters. Right here’s a full rundown on how Ricciardo misplaced his F1 seat. For now, right here’s what we all know:
- Lingering doubts: Ricciardo was out-performed early this season by teammate Yuki Tsunoda. He improved throughout the summer season, however not sufficient to stave off scrutiny. His contract was set to run out at season’s finish.
- Purple Bull dream dashed: Ricciardo wished to return to Purple Bull Racing. That door seemingly closed twice: in June, when Sergio Pérez signed a brand new two-year contract at Purple Bull, and once more in July, when Purple Bull confirmed Pérez wouldn’t get replaced regardless of struggles.
- Lawson’s contract particulars: After a sure date previous the Singapore GP, Lawson was free to go away the Purple Bull program if he didn’t have F1 seat assurances from Purple Bull. Lawson is a prized younger driver, and Purple Bull was clearly loathed to lose him to a rival staff.
- When Ricciardo knew: That is nonetheless a bit murky. On Thursday forward of the Singapore GP, Ricciardo stated he didn’t know. Yesterday, Purple Bull adviser Helmut Marko stated Ricciardo had been instructed earlier than Singapore. Lawson has stated he was conscious of the plan for 2 weeks.
GO DEEPER
Who’s Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 alternative? Meet Liam Lawson, New Zealand’s newest F1 trailblazer
Ricciardo, 35, grew to become one of many sport’s hottest drivers because of his star activate Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” docuseries. Drivers and followers alike posted an outpouring of farewells on social media. Netflix’s fundamental account even posted a tribute montage.
I wholeheartedly agree with Luke, who wrote yesterday that one of many sport’s most iconic drivers of the final 10 years deserved a greater goodbye. I requested our F1 writers to share their Ricciardo reminiscences:
Contained in the Paddock with Luke Smith: Ricciardo is an F1 rarity
Social media has been awash with private tributes to Ricciardo within the final 24 hours. It’s uncommon {that a} driver could make such an affect on a sport and its neighborhood.
Ricciardo’s been there proper the way in which via my time in F1. My first race was in 2013 when he was closing on the promotion to Purple Bull to exchange Mark Webber. At solely my third race, Ricciardo flipped me off with amusing in a media session after I teased him about Australia dropping to England within the Ashes that summer season. He’s the sort of driver you can have that form of banter with.
A standout reminiscence got here in Montreal in 2014, when Ricciardo received his first race. In a yr of Mercedes domination, he took benefit of its reliability points to drag a daring late cross on Nico Rosberg for the win. The smile and celebrations that adopted had been in contrast to any I’ve seen for a driver’s first win since. It’s the sort of second a driver’s complete profession is devoted towards, worthy of such jubilation.
The wins, podiums and poles apart, the very fact Ricciardo will likely be remembered in F1 for who he’s speaks volumes. He’s introduced such shade and character to the paddock. I’ll miss the random media session quips and turns of phrases that went far past the standard driver feedback. However above all, Ricciardo stood for honesty and integrity. By all of the robust instances currently, he’s by no means as soon as shirked accountability. One other uncommon trait of the trendy F1 driver.
So cheers, Daniel. You’re a superb bloke, and also you’ll be missed.
Contained in the Paddock with Madeline Coleman: I’ll bear in mind Ricciardo’s musical facet
Whereas many seemingly will pinpoint a Netflix second, a grand prix or a humorous social media posting as a few of their favourite Ricciardo reminiscences, mine takes place away from the monitor. I traveled to Nashville, Tenn., earlier than america Grand Prix final yr for Purple Bull’s showrun, when a staff can showcase one in every of its automobiles. Ricciardo, recent off of his restoration from surgical procedure for his injured hand, drove the RB7 down Decrease Broadway.
GO DEEPER
How Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 hiatus ready him to make an harm comeback
It wasn’t a lot the driving that caught my consideration, as cool because it was, however somewhat the pure pleasure he had in Music Metropolis. One of many nights in Nashville, I interviewed him at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row. We talked about a wide range of matters — starting from his comeback (he refused to name the harm a setback) to his largest concern and the way he describes himself. However one subject Ricciardo and I sometimes speak about throughout our one-on-one interviews is music.
Ricciardo described music as remedy, and it performed a task in getting him again into F1. “If I wrote on a whiteboard, ‘What does Daniel need to get again to this yr?’ it might have been, ‘Take me again to the place it began,’” Ricciardo stated in Nashville final yr. “I need to really feel that starvation once more. I need to do away with every thing else and simply attempt to be that child once more. That’s placing myself within the place to be the most effective driver. In order that went right down to the music I used to hearken to.”
We’ve exchanged music suggestions over the seasons, with Zach Bryan being a recurring suggestion from the Australian. Two songs he was listening to then had been ‘This Street I Know’ on American Heartbreak and ‘Worry and Friday’s (Poem)’ on Bryan’s 2023 studio album. After speaking slightly about Bryan, Ricciardo requested me my ideas, saying, “What’s a tune that’s spoken to you?”
Ricciardo could also be an eight-time grand prix winner and a star within the sport, however he at all times was real, bringing the human facet to F1.
Readers: Colapinto no match for reptile
On Monday, we requested the query on the lips of each F1 fan: Did Williams’ Franco Colapinto or the FP3 monitor lizard make the most effective on-track transfer of the weekend?
The outcomes are in:
That’s an amazing — nay, cold-blooded — win for the lizard. Your evaluation, as anticipated, was hilarious.
Workforce Lizard
“The lizard. Colapinto was spectacular, however lizards have been working from predators for the reason that Jurassic interval. Now that they’ve developed to deal with the tight corners of Singapore, we must always all be afraid.”
“The waddle of the yr!”
“Hips don’t lie.”
Finest assist race of the season. (Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Photographs)
“You attempt transferring that quick whereas waddling. I’d wish to see you attempt.” (Pat notice: Problem not accepted.)
“Quick off the road. In a position to speed up and maneuver even below braking. M. Lizard could possibly be the subsequent McLaren driver.”
Workforce Franco
“Solely as a result of I’m Workforce Williams.”
“Franco gained 5 spots. The lizard, although quick, didn’t end the race.”
“This was robust … however the monitor lizard was acclimated to the race situations and clearly didn’t give his all. In the meantime, Colapinto might barely get out of his automotive on the finish of the race, and he did brilliantly on a tricky avenue circuit.”
“Colapinto did truly overtake somebody, and he didn’t allow them to catch him!”
“An amazing cross by a rookie driver that nobody had on their radar.” (Pat notice: I like that this might additionally apply to the lizard.)
Outdoors the Factors
The remaining 2025 F1 seat left to be determined is at Sauber. Madeline had a good breakdown of who might fill it.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff wasn’t too glad with the Purple Bull boss hinting that George Russell might go away Mercedes.
Lastly, is Max Verstappen below the spell of the dreaded Leeds United curse? Nancy Froston investigates.
🙃 https://t.co/PhhW8pBA12 pic.twitter.com/5pnDagJHi8
— Tom Bellingham (@TomP1Bellingham) September 27, 2024
(Prime picture: George Hitchens/SOPA Photographs/LightRocket through Getty Photographs)
