The legacy Daniel Ricciardo leaves behind in F1 as rumours swirl surrounding his future after the Singapore Grand Prix.
The legacy of Daniel Ricciardo, both in and out of F1. is one that fans will remember for years to come. With the Singapore Grand Prix potentially marking his final F1 race, Last Word On Motorsports takes a deep dive into the Australian’s illustrious career.
Danny Ric ❤️
An emotional Daniel Ricciardo speaks after the #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/53hD09HZ4z
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 22, 2024
2008 – Formula Renault
Daniel Ricciardo’s rise in motorsport began with his impressive performance in the Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup. He claimed eight race victories and ultimately secured the championship title. Over the course of the season, he made the podium 11 times, showcasing his talent early on.
That same year, Ricciardo also competed in the Formula Renault Eurocup, finishing as the runner-up behind future F1 driver Valtteri Bottas. Bottas clinched the title by just three points. Ricciardo’s strong showing, including six wins in the series, earned him a promotion to Formula 3 for the 2009 season.
2009 – Formula 3
Ricciardo’s single season in Formula 3 was nothing short of dominant. Racing for Carlin Motorsport, he clinched the championship title, finishing with an 87-point lead over the runner-up after 20 races.
The Australian secured six race victories and added six further podium finishes to his tally, solidifying his growing reputation as a rising star in motorsport.
2010 – Formula Renault 3,5
In 2010, after his success in Formula 3, Ricciardo advanced to the Formula Renault 3.5 series, signing with the Tech 1 Racing team. He narrowly missed out on the championship, finishing second by just two points in yet another close title battle.
Throughout the season, Ricciardo claimed four race wins and added four podium finishes to his name, further highlighting his potential. His performance earned him a role as a reserve driver for Scuderia Toro Rosso in Formula One, marking the beginning of a relationship with the team that would see both the highs and lows throughout his career.
2011 – Formula One Debut
While serving as a reserve driver in Formula One, Ricciardo received his first race opportunity in 2011. Red Bull loaned him to Hispania Racing (HRT) midway through the season, where he competed until the final race. His best result with the team was a P18 finish, a modest achievement given the car’s limitations.
Despite the challenges at HRT, his performances caught the attention of Red Bull, confirming he had the potential for F1. This led to his promotion to Toro Rosso for the 2021 season.
2012 and 2013 – Toro Rosso
Ricciardo was confirmed to race for Toro Rosso in the 2012 F1 season, partnering with Jean-Eric Vergne. He quickly displayed his potential, securing points at his home race, the Australian Grand Prix. It was here where he overtook his teammate in the final laps to secure his first two championship points.
Nicknamed the “Honey Badger,” Ricciardo finished the season in 18th place with a total of 10 points. His standout performance came at the Bahrain Grand Prix, where he qualified an impressive sixth, defying the odds.
The 2013 season marked a clear improvement for Ricciardo. He doubled his points tally, finishing the year with 20 points and placing 14th in the drivers’ standings. His best results were seventh-place finishes in China and Italy. Over the two seasons, he also dominated his teammate in qualifying, out-qualifying him 30-7.
This performance earned the Australian a well-deserved promotion to Red Bull Racing.
2014 t0 2018 – Red Bull
In 2014, Red Bull promoted Ricciardo to replace Mark Webber. In his first season alongside Sebastian Vettel, he impressed by finishing third in the championship. This is the legacy that Daniel Ricciardo will leave behind in F1 as many consider this to be his finest season of racing.
At his home race in Australia, he qualified in second place and went on to secure three race victories that season, winning in Canada, Hungary, and Belgium. This made him the fourth Australian to win a Formula 1 race.
The 2015 season was more challenging as Red Bull struggled against a dominant Mercedes. Ricciardo finished eighth in the drivers’ standings with 92 points. Despite the slower car, he still managed to claim two podiums and set three fastest laps. As Red Bull’s lead driver, he also out-qualified his teammate 14 times.
This set the stage for a brilliant 2016 season for Ricciardo. He secured eight podium finishes, including a memorable win in Malaysia, and finished third in the championship with 256 points. One race that stood out was the Monaco Grand Prix, where a pit-stop error cost him a likely victory.
Ricciardo also introduced the now-iconic “shoey” celebration at the 2016 Hockenheim Grand Prix, drinking Champagne from his shoe after finishing on the podium. Fittingly, this celebration came during a season in which he was the only driver to finish every race.
However, 2017 marked the beginning of Ricciardo’s struggles at Red Bull, as he was plagued by reliability issues throughout the season. He failed to finish six races, including three of the last four. Despite these setbacks, Ricciardo still managed to claim eight podium finishes and a race win at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
He ended the season fifth in the standings, a respectable result, but one that fell short of the Australian’s expectations.
The 2018 season proved to be frustrating for Ricciardo. With eight DNFs, he finished sixth in the standings despite two victories – one at the Monaco Grand Prix and another at the Chinese Grand Prix. The season was also marked by the infamous collision with his teammate Max Verstappen at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which became the final straw for Ricciardo.
Soon after, it was announced that he had signed a contract to race with Renault for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
2019 and 2020 – Renault
Ricciardo’s first season at Renault was a challenging one. He faced several races where he finished outside the points, a stark contrast to his previous years of consistently securing top ten spots. He also experienced five DNFs, a troubling trend he had become accustomed to during his time at Red Bull. Despite the car’s lack of pace, he managed a notable fourth-place finish in Monza.
Ultimately, he ended the season in ninth place with 54 points, finishing 17 points ahead of his new teammate, Nico Hülkenberg.
The 2020 season was impressive for Ricciardo, as he finished fifth in the drivers’ standings. He recorded two podium finishes at the Nürburgring and Imola, marking Renault’s first podium in over nine years.
Despite these successes, Ricciardo wanted more, and many in the paddock believed he had even greater potential. Following this strong season, he signed with McLaren after Carlos Sainz moved to Ferrari.
2021 and 2022 – McLaren
Ricciardo’s first season at McLaren was steady but uneventful. He was largely outperformed by Lando Norris throughout the year, despite securing a memorable win at Monza. This would be the Australian’s final F1 victory, bringing his total to eight wins.
He ended the season in eighth place in the drivers’ standings after 20 races. However, doubts began to surface regarding his performance, particularly as McLaren sought to reclaim their former glory.
2022 was a controversial year for Ricciardo and McLaren. In August, the team and the Australian mutually agreed to terminate his contract a year early. He also announced that he would not be on the grid for the 2023 season. Ricciardo finished the year 10th in the Drivers’ Championship with 37 points and played a key role in helping McLaren secure fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
2023 – Red Bull and AlphaTauri
In 2023, Ricciardo re-joined Red Bull Racing as a third driver, partnering with former teammate Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez. Known for his favourable PR, he engaged in various PR activities, assisted with simulator and factory work, and supported the race team with communication and coordination during race weekends.
On July 11, 2023, he drove the RB19 during the Pirelli tests at Silverstone as part of the British Grand Prix weekend. This opportunity paved the way for his return to the F1 grid with Red Bull’s sister team, AlphaTauri after Nyck de Vries was released from his seat later that same month. The legacy of Daniel Ricciardo in F1 continued.
Ricciardo’s first race back saw him qualify and finish P13 in Hungary, despite a first-lap incident that dropped him to the back of the field. A few weeks later, during the Dutch Grand Prix, he sustained a serious injury, breaking a metacarpal bone in his hand in seven places, which sidelined him from competition. Liam Lawson stepped in to replace Ricciardo, making his F1 debut. It is Lawson who will likely replace him at RB.
As a result of the injury, Ricciardo missed the next four races in Italy, Singapore, Japan, and Qatar. He made his return at the United States Grand Prix, where he qualified a season-best fourth in Mexico. In the race, he finished P7, achieving AlphaTauri’s best result of the season and elevating the team to eighth in the Constructors’ Championship, after having spent much of the season at the bottom.
2024 – RB
AlphaTauri was renamed to RB Formula One Team for the 2024 season. As of the Singapore Grand Prix, Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda continue as the team’s driver pairing. However, rumours have circulated that this might have been Ricciardo’s final race with the team.
In a show of sportsmanship, he aided his former teammate Max Verstappen in the title fight by securing the fastest lap point, denying it to Lando Norris who needs each point to clinch his first Drivers’ title.
He was additionally voted Driver of the Day by fans who wanted to celebrate his potential farewell.
What a legend this guy is 🤩@danielricciardo is your #F1DriverOfTheDay #F1 #SingaporeGP @salesforce pic.twitter.com/v3erLOzJlb
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 22, 2024
The Man Himself
Speaking to Sky Sports after the race in Singapore, the Australian was reflective and emotional following his challenging performance:
“I have to acknowledge it’s obviously been a little bit of a race-by-race situation and I would obviously have loved the weekend to have gone better
“It didn’t, so I have to be prepared for this maybe being it.
“Let’s say I’m at peace with it. At some point it will come for all of us.”
With a 257-race career spanning 14 seasons, Ricciardo has achieved eight race wins and created countless memorable moments. Whether he returns in a month at the United States Grand Prix or not, the legacy Daniel Ricciardo leaves in F1 is one that fans will always remember.
