Daniel Ricciardo has performed down speak the Singapore Grand Prix might be his final Method 1 race, however says he has been round too lengthy to utterly rule it out.
Pink Bull and RB’s senior administration are set to decide after this weekend’s race in Singapore about their 2025 driver line-up.
And with it wanting nearly sure that reserve driver Liam Lawson will get the nod to step as much as RB as Yuki Tsunoda’s team-mate, there has emerged a state of affairs the place the squad elects to make the swap instantly quite than wait till the beginning of subsequent season.
That will deliver the curtain down on Ricciardo’s F1 profession, after a season the place he has loved some good outcomes however equally endured some frustrations.
Ricciardo stated he was unaware of there being strikes for RB to modify drivers in time for america Grand Prix, however equally drew in need of utterly ruling it out.
Talking in regards to the swirling hypothesis on his future, the Australian stated: “My first expectation is about subsequent 12 months, in order that’s the place I am for the time being.
“Clearly, I am unable to give too many particulars, however by way of contract, yeah, our dates just about come into this window now. So principally, I do anticipate a sure or a no for ’25.
“Then, yeah, I am conscious of some speak and hypothesis about the remainder of the season, however that [being replaced post-Singapore], for me, for the time being, I am unaware of.
“So, the choice I anticipate is for subsequent 12 months. However clearly, loopy issues have occurred on this sport, so I am additionally not going to face right here too boastful and assured that, ‘oh yeah’. Like, I consider I might be, however let’s have a look at.”
Daniel Ricciardo, RB F1 Staff VCARB 01
Photograph by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Photos
The RB choice after this weekend revolves round parts in Lawson’s contract needing to be triggered to make sure he doesn’t develop into a free agent.
Requested instantly if there was something in his personal contract that meant Singapore could be his final race, Ricciardo stated: “I do not assume so. However I additionally do not need to stand right here and be the lawyer.
“Look, I’d say no. But in addition, we all know how this sport works. , folks haven’t seen via a season earlier than, so it is nothing new in some methods.
“So, I do not need to even be like, ‘oh, 100% I will guess all my home on it’. I have been round too lengthy.”
Probably dropping his drive to Lawson would nearly actually imply that Ricciardo might be out of F1 subsequent season, with no different real looking choices on the grid.
And, whereas that might open up alternatives to compete in different classes, he has made clear {that a} swap to race one thing else shouldn’t be essentially his most popular possibility.
Requested about different collection, Ricciardo stated: “IndyCar nonetheless scares me! Look, I’ve considered it as a result of I additionally considered it a pair years in the past after I knew that I wasn’t going to begin the ’23 season.
“However I do know I am nonetheless a competitor. I do know I nonetheless have numerous fireplace in me, however possibly that itch is scratched doing one thing else. I do not know.
“We’ll see. It is laborious, like even speaking about, simply being within the sport and preventing for possibly a tenth place now and again. It is possibly the identical with doing one other collection.
“And no disrespect to different collection, I am a fan of, NASCAR and numerous different types of motorsport, however as a result of I have been there and skilled the best of highs, will I get true fulfilment doing one thing else and no assure I will be superior doing one thing else?
“Is that going to truly scratch the itch and provides me what I need? I do not know. I would most likely say extra no than sure, however these are issues I will take into consideration if I am not on this place.”