Daniel Ricciardo has responded to his immediate dismissal by the RB Formula 1 outfit, making a written statement on social media.
After making a mid-season F1 comeback with the Faenza-based outfit in 2023, Ricciardo has now found himself surplus to requirements at RB.
The Australian, after 257 Grand Prix starts, 32 podiums and 8 F1 race victories will leave the team with immediate effect, with six rounds of the 2024 campaign remaining.
His final race came at last weekend’s Singapore GP, where speculation about his future was rampant.
“I’ve loved this sport my whole life,” Ricciardo wrote on his Instagram following the news of his immediate departure.
“It’s wild and wonderful and been a journey.
“To the teams and individuals that have played their part, thank you.
“To the fans who love the sport sometimes more than me [haha] thank you.
“It’ll always have its highs and lows but it’s been fun and truth be told I wouldn’t change it. Until the next adventure.”
Daniel Ricciardo: An F1 career in brief
Ricciardo made his F1 debut partway through the 2011 season with Hispania racing as a loanee from the Red Bull junior programme.
The Australian joined Toro Rosso the following year for two seasons before being promoted to Red Bull in 2014.
At Red Bull, Ricciardo out-performed four-time World Champion team-mate Sebastian Vettel, winning three races in his first year with the squad.
After four more seasons and four wins, Ricciardo left Red Bull for a two-year stint at Renault.
A rocky two-year period with McLaren commenced in 2021, enlivened by a remarkable Italian GP victory in his first season for the Woking-based outfit.
The McLaren stint prompted a temporary sabbatical, prior to Ricciardo’s ill-fated return to Faenza.
Liam Lawson takes Ricciardo’s place at RB for the remainder of 2024.
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