A popular figure from within the Formula 1 figure has claimed that Daniel Ricciardo 'deserved better' than the treatment he received ahead of his axing from the sport.
Visa Cash App RB confirmed in recent days that the Australian has now lost his seat with the team and is set to be replaced by Kiwi Liam Lawson.
Lawson is set to get the rest of the 2024 season to impress the Red Bull hierarchy and convince them that he is worthy of a full-time seat in 2025.
With no other viable options on the grid for Ricciardo, the Singapore Grand Prix may well have been his last ever in the sport. That would bring to an end a career that started in 2011 and has featured eight grand prix victories, 32 podiums, and three pole positions.
Daniel Ricciardo has been axed by Visa Cash App RBKym Illman is a well-respected F1 photographer
Daniel Ricciardo deserved better
Plenty of Red Bull colleagues, former team-mates and rivals have been sending their tributes to the Australian, who was emotional last weekend at the end of the Singapore GP.
Ricciardo has been with RB since midway through the 2023 season, having replaced the out-of-form Nyck de Vries.
However, Ricciardo's form has been patchy at best since then, and the Australian has really struggled in 2024 to keep up with much less experienced team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.
The way in which Red Bull have ditched Ricciardo, without a proper send-off, has led to much criticism, however, including from respected F1 photographer Kym Illman.
In a comment on the Australian's Instagram post, Illman suggested that Ricciardo 'deserved better' from Red Bull, stating: "Daniel, thanks for my hug on Sunday night and for the joy you’ve brought the F1 world.
"Listening to you from the back of the garage in Abu Dhabi, 2016, was my inspiration to get involved in this sport. Of course, Singapore should’ve been your swansong but the way it panned out on the Sunday night was just bizarre; you deserved better.
"Great things lie ahead I’m sure and lots of love to your parents too. No doubt they’ll be disappointed with the way RB handled the situation. Enjoy WA."
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