Daniel Ricciardo guard of honour forms as Singapore GP last F1 race claims intensify

As speculation builds that this is it for Daniel Ricciardo in Formula 1, a guard of honour at VCARB further strengthened this speculation.

Ahead of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, talk emerged that this could be the final race weekend for Ricciardo, not only with Red Bull second team VCARB, but in Formula 1 entirely, with Red Bull reserve Liam Lawson being lined up to replace the eight-time race winner as of the United States Grand Prix.

Daniel Ricciardo receives VCARB guard of honour

Crossing the line P18 and last was not the ideal way for Ricciardo to sign off from Formula 1 if he is to be axed, but it was not all doom and gloom, as he snatched the fastest lap from Lando Norris, providing potentially a huge title boost for former Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen, as dominant Singapore GP winner Norris was denied that bonus point.

Ricciardo was also shown some major love by the Formula 1 fans by being voted Driver of the Day, in what could be the last race for the hugely popular ‘Honey Badger’.

Guests form a guard of honour at RB for Ricciardo as he comes back – no confirmation it’s his last race but every indication is that’s the case. If so, he signed off with a fastest lap pic.twitter.com/ACjJXpVO1y

— Nate Saunders (@natesaundersF1) September 22, 2024

And in a scene which further strengthened this possibility, Ricciardo was pictured returning to VCARB hospitality to a guard of honour.

Addressing his Formula 1 future after the race, Ricciardo confirmed that there is a “realistic chance” that he will not be in the VCARB 01 for the United States Grand Prix.

“There is a realistic chance that it’s not going to happen,” said Ricciardo when asked if we will see him in Austin?

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“It’s been a very race-by-race situation with Red Bull, I think for all of us in a way, obviously Checo [Sergio Perez] as well. At times, it feels like it’s going one way, then it goes the other.

“Obviously, there was a lot of emphasis on this weekend, and I would have loved a better weekend, and who knows if that would have changed anything, or if the decision has been made already even prior to the weekend.

“I’m obviously prepared for it and that’s why I think, over the weekend, I just tried to acknowledge a few things as well with myself, and I think acknowledged also why I came back into the sport.

“Sometimes, you’ve got to see the big picture. And I always said, I don’t just want to be a guy that’s here on the grid and fighting for a point every now and then, which has kind of been how this year has gone. But obviously this year, the purpose was to try and then do good enough to get back into Red Bull and obviously fight for wins again and see if I’ve still got it. I feel like, obviously, I came up short with that.

“So I think then it’s, okay, what else am I fighting for here? What else is going to give me fulfillment? Because I’ve been a young driver as well, and at some point, I don’t just want to take up space also.

“But obviously you have to be selfish, but I think for me, if I’m not able to then fight at the front with Red Bull, then, yeah, as I said, I have to ask myself, what am I saying on the grid for? So, that’s something I’ve also come to peace with.”

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