Ricciardo Says Goodbye: “I’ve Loved This Sport All My Life”

The end of the journey

Now yes, Daniel Ricciardo’s story in Formula 1 seems to be over forever. The relationship that had tied him back to the Red Bull family in the last two years is certainly over. The energy drink giant had welcomed him back at the beginning of 2023 after the controversial separation at the end of 2018. The announcement – widely anticipated – made by the Racing Bulls team to want replace Honey Badger with Liam Lawson starting from the Austin GP, ​​led Ricciardo to write a emotional greeting on Instagram aimed at all its fans and F1 enthusiasts.

“I have loved this sport all my life – wrote the Australian, who had already been very emotional after the race in Singapore, on the popular social network – it’s wild and wonderful and it’s been a journey. To the teams and individuals who have done their part, thank you. To the fans who love this sport, sometimes even more than me, thank you. There will always be ups and downs, but it’s been fun and, truth be told, I wouldn’t change a thing. See you on the next adventure”. An ‘appointment’ that leaves one to imagine how perhaps Ricciardo’s motorsport career could continue beyond the Circus.

Mekies’ greeting

At the same time, the official words of the Racing Bulls team principal also arrived, Laurent Mekieswho greeted Perth’s #3 and welcomed the New Zealander Liam Lawsonon his second F1 debut: “Everyone in the team would like to thank Daniel for his hard work over the past two seasons with us. He brought a lot of experience and talent to the team, with a fantastic attitude that helped everyone grow and fostered a strong team spirit. Daniel was a true gentleman both on and off the track, always without losing his smile. We will miss him, but he will always have a special place in the Red Bull family.”

“I would also like take this opportunity to welcome Liam – continued Mekies – he already knows the team well. He drove for us last season and performed well in difficult circumstances, so it will be a natural transition. It’s great to see young talents from the Red Bull family taking the next step. We look forward to putting our heads down and focusing on the rest of the season together.”.