Source – Formula1.com
An emotional Eight-time race winner Daniel Ricciardo acknowledged that the Singapore Grand Prix might have been his final Formula 1 event. With his future in doubt, he was left to mull over a disappointing evening at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 journey has been one marked by thrilling highs, unexpected twists, and lately, a struggle to recapture the magic that once made him a fan favorite. In what could very well be the twilight of his racing career, Ricciardo found himself at peace with the possibility that the Singapore Grand Prix might have been his final race. The once “Honey Badger” of Formula 1 now faces a future in which his familiar roar on the grid may be fading, but his trademark humor and humility remain ever-present.
Following a second consecutive Q1 exit in Singapore, Ricciardo’s weekend already looked bleak. Starting the race from P16, he was tasked with clawing his way up the grid. He took to the track on soft tires in a bid to execute an alternative strategy that might give him a fighting chance, but Formula 1 is a sport where not all gambles pay off. As the race unfolded, it became clear that Ricciardo was struggling to make any real progress, and he found himself languishing at the back of the field. In the final laps, as a strategic move, his Red Bull team brought him in for a fresh set of soft tires, allowing him to set the fastest lap of the race. This move wasn’t for his personal glory, but instead aimed at stealing that point away from eventual race winner Lando Norris, indirectly aiding Max Verstappen in the ongoing championship fight.
After crossing the line in P18, the Australian reflected on his challenging race. “Any time you’re out in Q1, you know you’ve got potentially a long day ahead,” Ricciardo admitted, his characteristic smile tinged with resignation. The Singapore heat, a brutal track, and an unfortunate strategy compounded the difficulties he faced, but Ricciardo’s focus remained sharp. “I had to try something with the strategy. You never know with the Safety Car; it could work in your favor,” he noted. But on a day devoid of yellow flags, his race plan unraveled, leaving him with little to show for his efforts.
The decision to go for the fastest lap, however, gave Ricciardo one last fleeting moment in the spotlight. “We tried to go for fastest lap and I guess it helped maybe Max out by Abu Dhabi,” he chuckled, his humor surfacing despite the evident weight of the weekend. “Maybe there’s a Christmas present coming if he wins by a point!” In typical Ricciardo fashion, even in a moment of personal struggle, he found a way to lighten the mood.
Yet, there was no escaping the swirling rumors that had dominated conversations leading into the Singapore race. Speculation had been rife that Ricciardo might be replaced by rising star Liam Lawson for the final six races of 2024. The whispers that this could mark the end of Ricciardo’s illustrious career in F1 began to feel more real after the race, as the Australian gave his most candid reflection yet on the possibility of his exit. Speaking about his attempt at the fastest lap, he hinted that it could have been his last flourish on the F1 stage. “It was maybe just to have one last crack at doing a fast one, if it is to be it.”
Pressed on whether this truly meant Singapore could be his final Grand Prix, Ricciardo didn’t shy away from the uncomfortable truth. “Possibly, I have to acknowledge that,” he said with a somber clarity. “It’s been a race-by-race situation, and I would have obviously loved the weekend to have gone better. It didn’t, so I have to be prepared for this maybe being it.” Ricciardo’s tone was a mixture of acceptance and sadness, emotions that echoed through the paddock as fans and fellow drivers alike came to grips with what might be the end of an era.
For Ricciardo, who rejoined Red Bull in 2023 after a turbulent exit from McLaren, there is a sense of closure creeping in. “At some point, it’ll come for all of us,” he said, acknowledging the inevitable end that every driver must face. He had hoped that returning to Red Bull would reignite his career, but fate had other plans. “I tried to get back into Red Bull, it didn’t work out,” he admitted candidly. “So then I also have to say, ‘Okay, what else am I ultimately doing here and trying to achieve?’” His words carried the weight of a man who had wrestled with reality and made peace with it. The fairytale ending he envisioned—a return to the top with Red Bull—was not to be, but Ricciardo still holds pride in what he’s achieved across his 14-year career in Formula 1.
As he reflected on the highs and lows, Ricciardo was honest about the challenges of continuing to compete without the possibility of fighting for wins. “When you’ve experienced the highs of winning, you can only fight for P10 for so long,” he said, capturing the frustration of a driver who knows the thrill of victory all too well. “There is nothing like that feeling, and if that’s no longer possible… you start to question it.” Whether it was age catching up to him, or simply the fact that the competition has become fiercer, Ricciardo acknowledged that “it’s been trickier to do it week in, week out.”
Perhaps the most poignant moment of the day came after the race. Voted Driver of the Day by fans, Ricciardo was seen lingering in his cockpit a little longer than usual after parking the car in parc ferme. It was a small, but telling gesture. He wasn’t rushing to get out. Instead, he appeared to be savoring those final seconds with the machine that had been his home for so many years. “A lot of emotions,” Ricciardo said when asked what had gone through his mind. “I’m aware it could be it, and I think it’s also just exhaustion after the race. It’s like a flood of emotions and feelings.”
As he tore up while speaking about the experience, the vulnerability of the moment was clear. “The cockpit is something that I got very used to for many years,” he said, his voice breaking slightly. “I just wanted to savor the moment.”
In a sport that often moves at breakneck speed, Ricciardo’s emotional farewell in Singapore was a rare moment of stillness. Whether this is truly the end for Daniel Ricciardo in Formula 1 remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: no matter where the future takes him, his legacy in the sport will always be remembered with a smile, much like the one he wore as he savored every last second of his time on track.
