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SINGAPORE — Beneath the lights of Marina Bay, Lando Norris was merely untouchable.
Often lapping 1.5 seconds faster than Max Verstappen, his Formulation One championship rival, Norris by no means seemed for a second like he’d lose the Singapore Grand Prix.
Norris was poised to file his first profession ‘grand slam,’ scoring victory from pole place, main all the race (on his eighth try from pole, he managed to retain the lead on the opening lap) and setting the quickest lap.
His benchmark of 1:34.925s was so fast that, after he set it, his race engineer urged he take a drink and handle his tempo. Two glances of the wall supplied temporary scares. Kevin Magnussen had gone faster on recent softs, just for his time to be deleted for monitor limits. The quickest lap bonus level, so necessary within the title race, was Norris’ to lose.
After which Daniel Ricciardo got here alongside.
In what may effectively be his remaining act as an F1 driver, Ricciardo pitted late to suit recent tender tires and, in clear air, go half a second faster than Norris on the race’s penultimate lap.
Ricciardo had been means again in 18th, operating second to final. There was nothing for him or his staff, RB, to realize by pitting for recent softs and going for the quickest lap. The bonus level solely counts when you end inside the highest 10.
But it surely would assist Max Verstappen and Crimson Bull Racing, RB’s senior staff. By denying Norris the bonus level, Verstappen’s championship lead dropped to 52 factors as an alternative of 51. Verstappen was shortly informed on the radio after the race that his “outdated pal” Ricciardo had set the quickest lap, to which Verstappen replied: “Thanks, Daniel.”
Ricciardo joked that if Verstappen have been to win the title by some extent, he’d a minimum of assured himself a pleasant Christmas current.
“He can have something he desires,” mentioned Verstappen.
The quickest lap push instantly sparked questions over its causes, given Crimson Bull and RB’s shared possession. Zak Brown, McLaren’s CEO, has lengthy spoken in opposition to the apply of so-called A and B groups in F1. Now, it seemed like Crimson Bull’s sister staff had moved to disclaim his driver a vital level within the title race.
“Given this will have been Daniel’s final race, we wished to present him the possibility to savor it and exit with the quickest lap,” RB staff principal Laurent Mekies mentioned within the staff’s post-race press launch.
Brown informed SiriusXM after the race that he would “actually ask some questions” about what occurred and that it illustrated his issues over sister groups working collectively. “I feel you wouldn’t have made that pit cease to go for that.”
Daniel Ricciardo driving in the course of the Singapore Grand Prix. (Clive Mason/Getty Pictures)
McLaren staff principal Andrea Stella didn’t wish to draw as robust a hyperlink, however admitted he discovered it “peculiar.” Norris shrugged it off, admitting there was nothing he may do. “(It’s) the logical factor to do, the sensible play by them,” Norris mentioned. “I’m completely satisfied for Daniel, that’s all.” Toto Wolff, the Mercedes staff boss, mentioned he didn’t suppose it was “soiled methods,” however Crimson Bull merely enjoying the sport as a part of the title battle.
Christian Horner, Crimson Bull’s staff principal, denied any coordination between Crimson Bull and RB over the quickest lap push. “Daniel clearly wished to complete the race on a excessive,” he mentioned. “You’d need to ask VCARB about that.” Ricciardo defined he “thought they have been simply letting me have some enjoyable as a result of we have been a great distance out of the factors.”
The rationale behind the quickest lap push apart, it was a excessive to complete on in what may very well be the final race of Ricciardo’s F1 profession.
On a weekend that began with severe doubt over whether or not he’d be on the grid for the subsequent race in Austin (not to mention for 2025) as Liam Lawson waits to step up, Sunday’s race felt like a remaining goodbye from the eight-time grand prix winner.
The hints have been there after qualifying on Saturday when Ricciardo had dropped out in Q1 whereas teammate Yuki Tsunoda made it by way of to Q3. From sixteenth on the grid, at a road monitor like Singapore, getting anyplace close to the factors would at all times be a giant, huge ask. Ricciardo was clearly downbeat in regards to the end result, saying it “sucks” whereas noting “all of the s— happening” round his future.
With out a security automobile for the primary time within the historical past of the Singapore Grand Prix, Ricciardo didn’t stand a lot probability of advancing far up the order. An early cease helped get him the undercut whereas compromising his technique. Two stops grew to become three when he pitted for the quickest lap, which is able to go down because the seventeenth of his F1 profession.
Was this actually it? The top of the street after 13 years and greater than 250 begins? Ricciardo couldn’t say definitively after the race. Horner claims no choice has been made and the upcoming three-week break is a “time period the place we’ll consider all the related performances of the drivers” inside the Crimson Bull jigsaw.
Nonetheless, Ricciardo’s physique language all through his post-race interviews and the emotion in his voice made it clear. This actually could also be it for him in F1.
Ricciardo couldn’t maintain again his feelings after the race. (Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Pictures)
He admitted there was a “reasonable probability” he wouldn’t be on the subsequent race in Austin and wished to absorb each single second in Singapore. “I used to be conscious perhaps that was my final race, so I attempted to get pleasure from that,” he mentioned. The RB staff even held a guard of honor for Ricciardo outdoors the motorhome after the race, simply in case it was his remaining race for the staff. The considered that show having to be repeated this yr is just too awkward to ponder.
Signing off with 18th place in his remaining begin isn’t how Ricciardo would have wished his F1 profession to finish, however there was no feeling of remorse. “I’m pleased with the profession,” he mentioned. “I attempted to grow to be world champion, I attempted to grow to be the most effective at one thing on the earth. I feel it’s a tall job that we ask from ourselves. Some obtain it, some don’t.
“Ultimately, if I got here up a bit brief, I can also’t be too onerous on myself, proud of the trouble I put in. And for that, there’s no disappointment or feeling or remorse or what may have been.”
Verstappen, Ricciardo’s teammate of virtually three years at Crimson Bull, paid tribute to the Australian after the race, notably talking up to now tense. “He’s a fantastic man, truthfully,” Verstappen mentioned. “We at all times had a fantastic relationship. We had a sporting rivalry within the staff. He could be remembered as a fantastic driver, as a fantastic individual additionally. He has a fantastic character. I feel it’s very uncommon if somebody hates him.
“I feel additionally in a couple of years’ time, after I gained’t be right here anymore, we’ll sit again and take a look at all these years collectively and have a beer collectively.”
Fairly the reception for Danny Ric again at RB 🤜🤛#F1 #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/yn39km1ba2
— Formulation 1 (@F1) September 22, 2024
As inevitable because it seems to be, a swift choice could be greatest for everyone. The race-to-race, even session-to-session, swings inside the Crimson Bull driver setup this yr involving Ricciardo, Lawson and Sergio Pérez up on the senior staff have been tough for all concerned, irrespective of the way it could also be considered as a supply of motivation. As painful as this can be for Ricciardo, there’ll a minimum of be some decision.
The quickest lap wasn’t Ricciardo’s solely potential farewell reward. He was additionally voted ‘Driver of the Day’ by F1 followers with 20 % of the vote.
“It’s not one thing to brag about, however I feel as we speak the followers learn the media and know this may very well be my final one, so I feel that’s a very nice gesture from them and as we speak it’s appreciated,” Ricciardo mentioned.
“I do acknowledge that — I thank them for being part of it and acknowledging my efforts and my love for the game. Clearly, there have been instances it examined me, and I wasn’t at all times grinning ear to ear.
“However I felt like I at all times tried to have as a lot enjoyable with it and go away as a lot as I may on monitor.”
If that is it for Daniel Ricciardo and F1, it’s a fantastic sentiment for him to complete with.
GO DEEPER
Daniel Ricciardo expects name on F1 future after Singapore amid questions on remainder of season
Prime picture: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Pictures
