Daniel Ricciardo will be removed from his race seat after this weekend’s F1 Singapore Grand Prix, Martin Brundle insists.
Ricciardo arrived in Singapore confronting questions about whether this would be his last grand prix.
He admitted that Red Bull could opt to replace him with Liam Lawson in their sister team in Austin, at the next race.
“My understanding is that Daniel won’t be in the car in Austin at the next grand prix, but will remain in the Red Bull pool,” Sky Sports’ Brundle said.
“They want to see how Liam Lawson goes, for a number of reasons.
“If Daniel had a stronger season, it would have made a big difference. Not just in the secondary team at RB but in the primary team at Red Bull.
“It hasn’t gone as well as he wanted. I don’t expect him in the car in Austin.”
Racing driver Jamie Chadwick insisted that Ricciardo’s recent few years have felt difficult.
“It constantly feels like that,” she said. “The last few years, as he admitted himself, he’s been fighting constantly to keep his seat.
“That is the first time he’s shown admission from his side. There is no excuse or cover up.
“There is a defeatedness in him.”
‘Undignified’ Ricciardo struggle
Brundle added: “Highest respect as a Formula 1 racer and as a person.
“Some of his race victories, any driver in the 74-history of F1 would like them on the CV.
“I will be slightly relieved when this pain is over for him, if I’m honest. When the moment finally comes, down the road.
“McLaren paid him not to race their car.
“It is so uncomfortable and undignified, in some respects.”
Ricciardo was axed from McLaren at the end of 2022 when he couldn’t keep pace with Lando Norris, and was replaced by Oscar Piastri.
He wasn’t on the 2023 grid but made a mid-season comeback, replacing the under-performing Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri.
An injury to Ricciardo opened the door to Lawson, who was impressive, but the veteran Aussie did enough to keep his full-time race seat for this season.
He hoped to earn a promotion into the Red Bull but now it seems he has not even done enough to retain his RB.
Lawson will be the driver given a massive chance by Red Bull. He joins Kimi Antonelli, Franco Colapinto and Ollie Bearman as young prospects thrown into the deep end.
“All of a sudden, this is a fashion business,” Brundle said. “It will be fashionable to put young drivers in, for a while.
“There will be hugely frustrated F2 drivers who are doing better, who haven’t had their chance.
“It seems to be the time to build for the future. Now is the time to do it. You don’t want to introduce youngsters in 2026 when there is a sea change of chassis and power units.”