Yahoo Autos Daniel Ricciardo Ousted from Racing Bulls, Replaced by Liam Lawson
While the antics of Red Bull Racing's star driver may have driven headlines earlier this week, Thursday proved a tumultuous day for Red Bull's other Formula 1 team, as the Visa Cash App RB F1 Team announced they would be letting go of Daniel Ricciardo — and then revealed his replacement before the news had even sunk in.
VCARB's announcement of the Aussie's departure came at 11:45am EDT, with a quote from team principal Laurent Mekies thanking Ricciardo for his time. "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."
The team didn't spend long commemorating Ricciardo, however. Just 15 minutes later, the Racing Bulls official X account welcomed Kiwi driver Liam Lawson to his seat for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Ricciardo's seat has been at risk all season, as Red Bull had promised Lawson a place on the grid in the organization sooner rather than later. Last weekend's heartfelt interview between Lawrence Barretto and Ricciardo, where the driver in his 13th year choked up while discussing leaving the cockpit after a draining Singapore Grand Prix, suggested the time had come. While the paddock came together to say goodbye even without official confirmation, Ricciardo ultimately left the sport without the typical fanfare expected of a driver with his record and popularity.
Notably, VCARB made the move early in the four-week break between the Singapore Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix, giving Lawson time to prepare for the immense pressure that will be placed on him as he replaces a beloved fan favorite.
Ricciardo entered the 2023 season without a full-time ride, signing on as Red Bull's reserve driver; he joined VCARB last year when he was named as the replacement driver for Nick De Vries, after the Dutch rookie failed to score a point in the first ten rounds of the 2023 season. But after an injury at Zandervoot, Ricciardo was sidelined — and Lawson was waiting in the wings.
In his five-race trail in 2023, Lawson finished in the points once, with a ninth-place finish in Singapore. Once Ricciardo's hand was healed, he returned to the grid in the United States Grand Prix — ironically, the first race he'll miss after losing his 2024 ride.
Ricciardo leaves F1 with eight wins and 32 podiums. His journeyman career contributed to significant moments in the sport for each manufacturer he raced for, including breaking McLaren's nine-year losing at Monza in his first year with the team.
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