CNN
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Visa Money App RB System One Group (RB) have introduced that Daniel Ricciardo has left the crew with speedy impact.
He will probably be changed by Pink Bull junior driver Liam Lawson in a transfer that brings weeks of hypothesis to an finish.
After being left with no seat for the 2023 season following his departure from McLaren, Ricciardo joined RB (then named Alpha Tauri) in the course of that 12 months to switch Nyck De Vries, who was adjudged to be underperforming.
Ricciardo was out of contract with the crew on the finish of the present season and had been linked with a return to Pink Bull, however RB – the sister crew to Pink Bull – took the choice to switch the Aussie early.
“I’ve cherished this sport my entire life,” Ricciardo wrote in a put up on Instagram. “It’s wild and great and been a journey.
“To the groups and people which have performed their half, thanks. To the followers who love the game typically greater than me … thanks. It’ll at all times have its highs and lows nevertheless it’s been enjoyable and reality be advised I wouldn’t change it.
“Till the following journey.”
RB Group Principal Laurent Mekies thanked Ricciardo for his efforts throughout the final two seasons.
“He has introduced lots of expertise and expertise to the Group with a incredible angle, which has helped everybody to develop and foster a good crew spirit,” he stated in a press release. “Daniel has been a real gentleman each on and off the monitor and by no means with out that smile. He will probably be missed, however will at all times maintain a particular place inside the Pink Bull household.”
Ricciardo has put collectively fairly the resumé over his 14 seasons in F1. He’s an eight-time race winner who has completed on the rostrum 32 instances – adequate for thirty fifth on the all-time listing – and has positioned within the prime three of the World Drivers’ Championship twice. He scored 1,329 factors throughout 257 races.
He final raced at Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix, the place he completed 18th.
Ricciardo joined the Pink Bull Academy as a youngster, making his F1 debut for Spanish outfit HRT in 2011 earlier than becoming a member of Pink Bull’s sister crew, then referred to as Toro Rosso, the next 12 months. He was referred to as as much as the principle crew in 2014 and spent 5 seasons with the Austrian producer, taking eight wins.
“After I bought into the game and moved to Europe, I used to be – possibly some folks would discover it onerous to consider – I used to be fairly a shy, not essentially the most assured particular person,” he stated, sitting down completely with CNN Sport just lately. “And I feel I used to be additionally … simply fairly younger and immature. So getting signed up by the Pink Bull program once I was 18 … having that accountability, that strain, all of that, it pressured me to develop up.”
He moved to Renault for 2019 earlier than leaping to McLaren in 2021. He struggled throughout his tenure with the British crew, though he did take a memorable – and what’s more likely to be his last – victory on the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
“I’m proud. Like, don’t get me incorrect, if (my F1 profession) ended right now, I’d be happy with what I’ve achieved,” Ricciardo advised CNN previous to Thursday’s announcement. “However on the identical notice, you’re by no means totally happy as a result of the explanation I bought into System One was to attempt to grow to be world champion.
“I can nonetheless be proud with out it as a result of I’ve put the trouble in. However yeah, I nonetheless need to add that. That may give me 100% the total image of happiness and satisfaction,” he added.
Solely time will inform whether or not Ricciardo will make one other spectacular return to the game, however followers must familiarize yourself with a grid with out the Aussie as RB embraces the youth motion.
The crew has served as a growth floor for future Pink Bull drivers previously, however no driver has acquired the call-up since Alex Albon in 2019.
The 22-year-old Lawson has some F1 expertise. He stepped in for Ricciardo for 5 races in 2023 when Ricciardo suffered a wrist damage and has served because the reserve driver for each Pink Bull and RB.
The New Zealand native is about to make his debut as a full-time racer on the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas subsequent month.