Last year’s Singapore Grand Prix proved to be Daniel Ricciardo’s last race in Formula 1, as the Australian was replaced at the RB team by Liam Lawson for the final six races of the year.
In 2023, Lawson had been installed as a substitute for Ricciardo following the latter’s hand fracture at the Dutch Grand Prix, after just two rounds into Ricciardo’s comeback to F1 as a successor to Nyck de Vries.
Ricciardo was at least given the chance to say goodbye to F1 with the fastest lap of last year’s Marina Bay race, although it was a mere crumb of comfort when measured against the difficulties he’d faced on his return to F1.
Although the move was unconfirmed during last year’s Singapore weekend, there were rumours throughout that it would be Ricciardo’s final race – and the emotional nature of the race’s epilogue lent credence to them. Indeed, Lawson was drafted into the line-up for Austin at Ricciardo’s expense, offering the Kiwi the platform to step into the Red Bull team for the start of 2025.
Now back with the Racing Bulls team, Lawson opened up on his reflections of that weekend in Singapore. He noted that it had been an ‘uncomfortable’ situation, but was effusive in his praise for Ricciardo’s support – both in that moment, and ahead of Lawson’s 2023 debut.
“For us it was obviously extremely uncomfortable,” Lawson reflected. “I think the only thing I took away from it was how much of a good person Daniel is and how he was to me through the whole journey from when I first came into this when he had his injury to going back to reserve.
Liam Lawson, RB F1 Team VCARB 01
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
“We had a very good relationship. We still do honestly and he’s somebody that’s I think my only take-away from that weekend last year was just how much respect I have for him.
“He sent me a nice message after Baku and he’s obviously off on his own journey at the moment. He’s just somebody who’s been very supportive obviously.
“We’re from the same part of the world as well so it’s something that we probably both understand. It’s quite difficult to get to this point and we’re both very lucky.”
Speaking about Ricciardo’s decision to forego racing to pursue other interests, Lawson was keen to point out that the two were at “very different points of our careers”, and that his former stablemate’s choice was “personal”.
He then elaborated on his own attempts to stay in F1, as he faces rumours that Arvid Lindblad may form one half of Racing Bulls’ line-up in 2026. He said that, although he’d enjoyed his run to fifth in Baku, he had very quickly moved his attentions to Singapore in his efforts to stay with the team for next year.
“I think you enjoy the success, you enjoy the good moments, but it is crazy how quickly that mindset changes and flicks onto the next one.
A fan holds up a sign of Daniel Ricciardo
Photo by: Clive Rose / Formula 1 via Getty Images
“Baku was a great result and I was super stoked for the team, and I was stoked with how the race was. It felt like a great performance for me, but eery quickly within a few hours you’re already focused on the next one coming up.
“I think naturally in my position as well, when I’m trying to secure a seat next year, it’s probably more natural to be thinking ahead more and trying to keep these results coming.”
Additional reporting by Ronald Vording and Filip Cleeren
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– The Autosport.com Team
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