Singapore GP: Daniel Ricciardo says race unlikely his last

SINGAPORE — Daniel Ricciardo’s Formula 1 future looks increasingly unclear but the Australian has downplayed suggestions ahead of this week’s Singapore Grand Prix that the night race will be his last in the sport.

Reports after Baku suggested Ricciardo is set to be replaced at RB by Red Bull junior Liam Lawson, in a move which might even come into effect this season.

A clause in Lawson’s contract said that if Red Bull had not found him a race seat by Sept. 15, the day of the Baku race, then they had to provide him with one in either of its teams next year — multiple sources have confirmed to ESPN the details of that clause are correct.

Sources at Red Bull and those close to both Ricciardo and Lawson appear unsure about the situation or the way the decision will go — it is understood racing advisor Helmut Marko is keen for Lawson to step up to the company’s second team, but Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has always been an advocate of Ricciardo staying on.

Asked on Thursday if Sunday’s race would be his last in the sport, Ricciardo said: “I don’t think so, but, I also don’t want to stand here and be the lawyer.

“Look, I would say no, but also we know how this sport works. People have not seen through a season before. It’s nothing new in some ways. So I don’t want to also be, ‘oh, 100%, I’ll bet all my house on it’. I’ve been around too long.”

Ricciardo said his understanding is the talk behind the scenes about Lawson is all about 2025 and not the coming set of races.

“My first expectation is about next year,” Ricciardo said. “So that’s, let’s say, where I’m at at the moment. It’s where I’m at. I can’t give too many details, in terms of contracts, yeah, our dates pretty much come into this window now. Basically I do expect a yes or a no for ’25.

“And then yeah, I know there’s obviously, I’m aware of some talk and speculation about the rest of the season. But that for me at the moment, I’m unaware of. The decision I expect is for next year. Obviously crazy things have happened in this sport. I’m also not going to stand here too boastful and confident and ‘oh yeah yeah’. Like, I believe I will be, but let’s obviously see.”

Ricciardo has struggled to find consistency this year and the hype which accompanied his return to AlphaTauri, as RB was known last season, has slowly died out. The original goal of his comeback was to eventually replace Sergio Pérez…