US Grand Prix unveil special tribute to F1 star Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo will miss his first race of the year in Austin this weekend, having been axed from VCARB after the last event in Singapore.

The Australian star made his name at Red Bull, VCARB's senior team, before moving through a few other teams on the grid.

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Since then, Ricciardo has achieved eight F1 victories, including an iconic win around the streets of Monaco in 2018.

Not only did his late-breaking style help him gain popularity, but also his sense of humour and jovial antics in the paddock ensured he became a fan favourite.

Why was Daniel Ricciardo axed from F1?

However, Ricciardo announced his shock move to Renault for the 2019 season, and eventually found himself at McLaren in 2021.

It was at the Woking-based outfit that his decline in performance was initially noted, as he failed to match up to younger team-mate Lando Norris.

The 35-year-old was axed from the team in favour of compatriot Oscar Piastri, and found himself without a drive for 2023.

However, his old team took mercy on him and offered Ricciardo a lifeline when he was slotted in to replace Nyck De Vries at Alpha Tauri, now VCARB.

Ricciardo was initially touted as a replacement for a struggling Sergio Perez at Red Bull if he managed to demonstrate dominance over Yuki Tsunoda at RB in 2024, however the Japanese star had other intentions.

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Tsunoda consistently outperformed his team-mate throughout the season, putting pressure on Ricciardo, and speculation soon mounted over his F1 future.

RB announced after the Singapore GP that they would be replacing Ricciardo with Liam Lawson, who would race for the team from Austin onwards.

However, Ricciardo’s presence was missed by fans at the US GP, with a special tribute unveiled for the star in the form of a book.

Fans have expressed their notes of thanks to their favourite driver in this book, that sat on a table alongside a framed picture of Ricciardo in cowboy get-up.

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