On-board footage reveals Ricciardo's emotional final moment

Daniel Ricciardo seemed to know his F1 career is over, taking the time to savour his final moments on track in heartbreaking scenes following the Singapore Grand Prix.

After a Q1 exit in qualifying, Ricciardo was up against it in the race and finished 18th after pitting three times in what is widely believed to be his last ever race.

Rumours have been swirling essentially since early in the season that Ricciardo was about to be sacked in favour of young gun Liam Lawson, who has been waiting in the wings as Red Bull’s reserve driver after filling in while Ricciardo was injured last year.

But the whispers became deafening this week as Red Bull closed in on a deadline to pick up Lawson’s contract.

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New details emerged during the week that Lawson had clauses in his deal, including that the New Zealander would become a free agent if his contract wasn’t picked up by the end of September, and that he would be guaranteed five or six races before the end of the year.

There are now just six races left this year, the next in Austin, Texas, in October.

His last pit stop was to put on a set of soft tyres that allowed him to set the fastest lap of the race - denying race winner Lando Norris a bonus championship point.

It was a parting gift of sorts to another old teammate Max Verstappen, who is fighting Norris for the championship.

This might really be the end for Danny Ric. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

The team radio between Ricciardo and his VCARB engineer was quiet over the cooldown lap, and the veteran Australian took a moment to soak up being in an F1 car for possibly the final time.

Post-race, he removed his gloves and rested his hands on his thighs, taking more than a minute to compose himself before climbing out of the car and pausing again.

It was an emotional moment for Ricciardo after the gruelling 62-lap lace around the Marina Bay circuit.

Daniel Ricciardo savours what could be his last moments in an F1 car. Photo: X.Source: Twitter

The 35-year-old spoke extensively afterwards and sounded resigned to the fact he had driven his last race in F1.

“A lot of emotions, because – look I’m aware it could be it, and I think it’s also just (being) exhausted after the race,” Ricciardo explained.

“So it’s like a flood of many emotions and feelings and exhaustion.

“The cockpit is something that I got very used to for many years. I just wanted to savour the moment.”

Ricciardo received a guard of honour into the VCARB team area and was voted driver of the day in a touching tribute from F1 fans.

While no decision has yet come down from Red Bull about his future, Ricciardo was near tears while speaking with F1TV. He did hold his emotions together when speaking with Sky Sports.

The Aussie seemed resigned to his career being over. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

Asked about how he’d feel to say goodbye, Ricciardo was honest with himself.

“I also have to acknowledge why I came back after the McLaren stint,” he said.

“I always said I don’t just want to come back just to be on the grid, I want to try fighting back at the front and get back with Red Bull. Obviously it didn’t come to fruition.

“So then I also have to ask myself the question, ‘What else can I achieve? What else is there to really go for?’

“I put my best foot forward and maybe the fairytale ending didn’t happen but I also have to look back on what it’s been — 13 or so years. I’m proud.

“Typically the driver of the day isn’t something us drivers look too much into, but today I can say it’s something I’m appreciative of. That one today means a little something.”

Sky’s Simon Lazenby said the chat “seemed reasonably final”.

Earlier Lazenby also posed the hypothetical over whether Ricciardo would have thrived had he stayed a Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen instead of going to Renault and then McLaren.

Speaking again with Sky later, Ricciardo was asked if he regretted moving away from Red Bull when he left at the end of the 2018 season.

“I think at the time in my head it made sense,” Ricciardo said.

“Was it the best decision of my career? Of course you could argue no it wasn’t. I’m OK with that.

“Also there was no guarantee that if I stayed that I would have done amazing and won this and that.

“Of course I’m not going to stand here and say that was the greatest decision of my life, but you live and you learn and eventually it brought me back into the family. I don’t want to look back and be sad or bitter about anything. Everything happens for a reason.”

F1 fans will be sad to see Ricciardo go. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

Asked if it was the last time we’d see him, Ricciardo said: “Possibly.

“I have to acknowledge that. Obviously it’s been a bit of a race by race situation and I would have loved the weekend to go better — it didn’t — so I have to be prepared for this maybe being it.

“I do feel at peace with it. At some point it’ll come for all of us.

“When you’ve experienced the highs of winning, you can only fight for P10 for so long. There is nothing like that feeling and if that no longer is possible, and if it is becoming harder … maybe that’s 35, maybe that’s the competition becoming harder, who knows.”

Ricciardo’s parting gift to Verstappen

Ricciardo didn’t get the point for fastest lap, because he finished outside the top 10, but it could well have an impact on the title battle.

The Singapore Grand Prix win for Lando Norris saw the drivers’ championship race cut to 52 points.

However, it could have been 51 points — which is a magic number at this stage of the championship.

Ricciardo’s hot lap stopped Norris from winning the bonus point, helping championship leader Max Verstappen.

Ricciardo might have played a part in the championship battle. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

With six races and three sprints remaining in 2024, if Norris finished first in every race with the fastest lap bonus point and Verstappen finished second, Norris would score 51 points more than Verstappen — meaning the Dutchman would still win the world championship.

While it’s unlikely that it would go that neatly down the stretch, it shows just how hard it’ll be for Norris to snatch a maiden world title from here.

After the race, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said to Verstappen over team radio: “Your old friend Daniel picked up a fastest lap as well Max.”

“Thank you Daniel,” came the reply.

When the attention turned to the fastest lap, Ricciardo said: “Why not?”

“If Max wins by a point, I’ve guaranteed myself a nice Christmas present,” Ricciardo laughed.

McLaren now leads the constructors’ championship by 41 points.