Ricciardo pain revealed as star misses major event

Axed Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo became a favourite among not just his home fans in Australia but also those across the globe following the success of the hit Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive.

The former Red Bull star from Perth was handed his first full-time F1 seat ahead of the 2012 season, but after 12 years, his home fans at the Australian Grand Prix will not be likely to see him at the track this weekend.

Ahead of a season where Ricciardo fans will not get to see their beloved racing star take to the track, GPFans spoke to Sky F1's Natalie Pinkham to discuss the 2025 grid and how his absence will impact the fans.

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Sky Sports is the exclusive home of Formula 1 in the UK & Ireland. Don't miss the start of the 2025 World Championship live from Melbourne, Australia, March 14-16th, only on Sky Sports and NOW.

In 2024, Ricciardo returned to Red Bull's junior outfit Racing Bulls, where he was put up against Yuki Tsunoda to prove his place in the sport whilst also competing for a potential promotion back into the main team.

Whilst reigning champion Max Verstappen came out on top in the drivers' standings once again last season, his Red Bull team dropped to third in the constructors' standings, largely thanks to the inconsistency of his team-mate Sergio Perez.

Whilst fans had hoped that Ricciardo would be handed a reunion with his former team-mate Verstappen for 2025, things very much took a shock u-turn when it was announced with just six races to go last season that the fan-favourite racer had been dropped by Racing Bulls and replaced with reserve driver Liam Lawson.

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Ricciardo absence makes way for F1 home hero

As the stars of the 2025 grid prepare for the first grand prix of the season in Melbourne, the home fans will no doubt be feeling the pain of missing Ricciardo.

With many expecting the Aussie star to stay out of the sport for the foreseeable future, Sky F1 presenter Pinkham chatted to GPFans about her predictions for the upcoming campaign and how things will feel without Ricciardo among this year's Melbourne lineup.

Pinkham spoke highly of the multiple rookies entering the pinnacle of motorsport this season, revealing conversations with another Aussie racer, Jack Doohan, who has signed his first full-time contract to race for Alpine.

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Discussing how Doohan's first 2025 race will be in front of his home crowd, Pinkham said: "I actually said to him [Doohan], I’m just gutted that I’m not going to be in Australia to see him race with his home fans because they will feel bruised from Daniel leaving the grid."

"For them to have Jack [Doohan] and Oscar [Piastri] now to cheer for, I think the atmosphere is going to be electric there and I really hope he can put in a strong performance."

An Australian F1 driver has never won the Australian Grand Prix as a championship race, and with round one taking place at Albert Park Circuit, what better way to kick off the season than for Piastri to bring it home in front of his home crowd?

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