Daniel Ricciardo is one of the most loved F1 drivers in the current age, but the honey badger hasn't been in great form for some time now. There were already rumours about him being replaced by Liam Lawson after the Singapore GP, but it has now become a reality. The reason behind this switch might be a clause in Kiwi's contract that would make him a free agent if Redbull doesn't give him a seat after the Singapore GP.
The decision is a rather tough one for the already struggling VCARB outfit. Ricciardo was not only a key driver because of his fame but also because of the sponsorships he brought along. According to some reports, the team might lose around half of their sponsorships with the departure of Danny Ric.
This contrasts with the rumours that Ricciardo will replace Sergio Perez for the Red Bull seat. This was a growing rumour as Checo has been in terrible form for a while, leading to the Milton Keynes-based outfit losing the constructor's title to Mclaren. Ricciardo has less hope of finding a seat in Formula 1 next year, with the only vacant seat at Sauber/Audi. There haven't been any reports of that team holding talks with him.
Ricciardo posted on Instagram about his departure with the caption “I’ve loved this sport my whole life. It’s wild and wonderful and has 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.”
“Everyone here at VCARB would like to thank Daniel for his hard work across the last two seasons with us .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” said VCARB boss Larent Mekies.
He added “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.”
