F1 information: Is time operating out for Daniel Ricciardo?

Daniel Ricciardo’s surprising mid-season return to the Formulation 1 grid a yr in the past had the makings of the most recent dream ending within the sport.

However because the grid arrived in Singapore for this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, that dream ending appears to have the sensation of a final stand.

Current developments round him, in addition to the motive force’s inconsistent kind, have seen that dream tackle extra of a nightmare feeling. And whereas this weekend marks his return to the Singapore Grand Prix, a race he missed final yr because of damage, there’s a thought that his time at Visa Money App RB F1 Crew — and doubtlessly within the sport itself — may very well be drawing to an in depth.

Ricciardo’s shock return to the grid a season in the past, changing the struggling Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri, was welcomed all through the paddock by journalists and Netflix producers alike. Whereas Max Verstappen and Crimson Bull had been operating away with the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships, respectively, the return of the supremely marketable Ricciardo provided one thing of a spark.

However that return was derailed by a follow crash on the Dutch Grand Prix that resulted in a damaged bone in his left hand, and Ricciardo’s subsequent surgical procedure sidelined him for a number of races. That handed a possibility to order driver Liam Lawson who capitalized on his probability with a number of spectacular performances, together with a ninth-place end on the Singapore Grand Prix.

At that time within the season, Lawson’s P9 was the workforce’s finest results of the yr.

After all, Ricciardo returned to the grid and delivered a command efficiency of his personal, capitalizing on a robust qualifying run — and a slipstream from teammate Yuki Tsunoda in each Q1 and Q2 — to qualify fourth on the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix. Ricciardo parlayed that right into a P7 within the Grand Prix itself. Which may have been his solely factors results of the yr, nevertheless it went into the books because the workforce’s finest.

AlphaTauri — now Visa Money App RB F1 Crew — confronted a tough resolution filling out their 2024 driver lineup, in the end rolling with the veterans in Tsunoda and Ricciardo, leaving Lawson sidelined as a reserve. Nevertheless, the problem of becoming three drivers into two seats was not the one not possible mathematical drawback the group confronted. Past the 2 VCARB seats, the Crimson Bull household additionally confronted the problem of becoming 4 drivers into three seats. Definitely, Max Verstappen is locked into one in all their 4 seats so long as he needs it, however with Sergio Pérez getting into 2024 on the ultimate yr of his contract not solely did the three drivers at VCARB desire a seat for 2024, however they had been additionally eying Pérez’s seat at Crimson Bull for 2025.

A state of affairs Ricciardo himself usually termed because the “fairytale” ending to his F1 story.

That dream state of affairs took a significant hit this summer time when Crimson Bull introduced that Pérez had signed a brand new cope with the workforce that might maintain him in his present seat by means of 2026. That was adopted by Tsunoda saying a brand new deal of his personal at VCARB, giving him one other yr in his present seat.

Three seats down with one remaining, and a number of drivers vying for that spot.

Whereas Ricciardo may need loved the within observe to that seat, and a robust efficiency in Montreal in the course of the Canadian Grand Prix maybe got here at a great time, reporting over the summer time illustrated simply how tenuous his grasp on that spot was.

First was the report that surfaced involving Lawson’s contract with Crimson Bull. In accordance with Crimson Bull Senior Advisor Dr. Helmut Marko, Lawson’s contract with the workforce comprises an escape clause. As such, if Lawson doesn’t get a seat at Crimson Bull or VCARB, he’s free to discover different choices.

This comes at a less-than-ideal if you’re competing with him for a seat. Given the variety of spots nonetheless to be confirmed for 2025 — 9 for these protecting depend — Lawson could definitely have choices. If you wish to maintain Lawson within the household, providing him a seat could also be preferable to seeing him stroll.

Then there was reporting, additionally prompted by feedback by Marko, that indicated that Crimson Bull shareholders could also be pushing for a youthful driver to be in that seat at VCARB. Talking with Austrian outlet Kleine Zeitung forward of the Austrian Grand Prix, Marko outlined {that a} transfer in a youthful course at Visa Money App RB F1 Crew could also be coming down from on excessive. “The shareholders have made it clear that [VCARB] is a junior workforce and we have now to behave accordingly,” stated the Crimson Bull advisor.

“The goal was for Ricciardo to qualify for a return to Crimson Bull Racing with distinctive performances. That seat now belongs to Sergio Perez, in order that plan is off the desk. We must put in a younger driver quickly,” continued Marko. “That might be Liam Lawson.”

That was again in the summertime. Now that Autumn is upon us, the dialog relating to Ricciardo has accelerated. Marko continues to trace at an announcement relating to Lawson following this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, with rumors swirling that Ricciardo may even get replaced by the workforce forward of the US Grand Prix in October.

That reporting compelled Ricciardo — beneath the watchful eyes of representatives from each VCARB and Crimson Bull — to deal with his unsure future throughout media day Thursday in Singapore:

Now, EVERYTHING that will get reported within the F1 world, notably in the case of driver motion, wants context and a wholesome grain of salt or two. The great physician Marko is definitely not shy when providing a quote, and there may very well be a little bit of gamesmanship at play right here.

However issues do appear to be trending in a sure course.

Now, can Ricciardo get the RB01 “on the rostrum,” as he indicated was his plan throughout these feedback? If Friday’s first two follow classes are any indication, he may need an outdoor shot. Ricciardo was seventh-fastest in FP1 Friday, and sixth-fastest in FP2, and with teammate Yuki Tsunoda up within the prime 5 for each classes, there’s potential for VCARB to ship a shocker, and Ricciardo himself to ship a press release drive along with his future within the playing cards.

Ricciardo sounded assured following follow on Friday.

“It was a extremely good day for the entire Crew. Yuki and I completed within the prime seven in each classes. It was actually shut, I feel 4 of us completed inside two hundredths of a second. We’re proud of the automotive,” stated Ricciardo in VCARB’s post-practice report. “There’s at all times some fantastic tuning to do, nevertheless it was good to see ourselves in good factors scoring positions immediately. We have now an honest package deal right here and look aggressive. I had quite a lot of grip immediately, and the circuit was actually enjoyable to drive. Hopefully our tempo stays tomorrow going into qualifying.”

However this does appear to be transferring rapidly, from “Ricciardo is likely to be in danger for 2025” to “Lawson is likely to be in that seat for 2025” to now “Lawson is likely to be in that seat come October.”

If, hypothetically talking, Lawson does take the second seat at VCARB, the place does that go away Ricciardo? In any case, we’re speaking a couple of former race winner, and one of many sport’s best-known, and best-marketable, personalities. In a sport full of standard figures Ricciardo is close to the highest, no matter race kind, and he attracts a crowd wherever he goes, like he did right here on the Miami Grand Prix on media day:

Photograph by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Photos

Did I embrace this photograph since you get an ideal view of the again of my head within the quick bottom-left foreground with sun shades on my head? It’s definitely a chance …

However getting again on observe right here, racing is just not a reasonable endeavor. Driver marketability continues to play a task, even in the fee cap period of F1. Success off the grid performs a task in success on the grid, and Ricciardo’s recognition off the observe is one other line on his resume, and an necessary one at that.

However that’s the draw of Ricciardo, and in a sport the place driver advertising is at all times a consideration that might play a task in protecting him on the grid subsequent season. Nevertheless, if there’s not a spot for him within the Crimson Bull household — and the transfer is certainly made to Lawson, both for the remainder of this season or for 2025 — then what’s left for Ricciardo in F1? The final seat up for grabs in such a scenario could be a spot at Sauber subsequent Nico Hülkenberg, however Valtteri Bottas and Gabriel Bortoleto are thought-about the favorites there.

And if not in F1, you’d count on Ricciardo to garner curiosity in different motorsport collection. He may very well be a star in IndyCar, the place different drivers have moved following their F1 days. Would he have any curiosity in making an attempt his hand in NASCAR, or endurance racing? He’s a wildly standard driver and extremely marketable, and his racing days aren’t over, even when the door closes in some unspecified time in the future on his time in F1.

As for the Crimson Bull group, they might be seeing the fruits of its knack for constructing expertise coming to fruition, as they strategy a call level relating to their 2025 drivers. In some unspecified time in the future, there was going to be an odd driver out. Lawson was that driver a yr in the past. However now the winds appear to be blowing in his favor, and in opposition to Ricciardo. From the workforce’s perspective, they know what they’ve in Ricciardo, but when the concept is to organize a driver to take over Pérez’s seat following the expiration of his new deal, seeing what they honestly have in Lawson over a full season — if no more given the rumors of a transfer forward of Austin — is likely to be the good transfer.

As well as, Lawson is just not the one younger driver within the Crimson Bull secure being linked with a possible F1 seat within the close to future. Isack Hadjar, who drives in F2, is making a “sturdy case” of his personal for a spot on the F1 grid, as Christian Horner said earlier this season. There is likely to be a thought throughout the group that giving Lawson the remainder of this season may solidify a spot for him at VCARB subsequent yr, or open the door to Hadjar incomes that seat.

In any case, Marko’s current feedback mirror VCARB’s earlier standing as that of a “junior” workforce to Crimson Bull. In the course of the Toro Rosso days and into the early AlphaTauri days, the sister workforce was seen as extra of a proving floor. That may very well be one other indication that Lawson or Hadjar could be picked for that spot.

That’s the place Verstappen, for instance, acquired his begin.

If the group actually needs to return to that mannequin, it might find yourself with Ricciardo on the surface trying in.

Bringing his goals of a fairytale ending to a tough conclusion.