Daniel Ricciardo’s tenure with Red Bull has officially concluded, as the Australian driver was replaced by Liam Lawson in the VCARB driver line-up from the US Grand Prix. This marked the end of any remaining prospects for Ricciardo to rejoin Red Bull Racing’s roster, bringing a definitive close to his career with the team.
While Ricciardo’s time as a Red Bull driver has ended, the door remains open for him to continue his involvement with the brand and organization. Having enjoyed extensive support from Red Bull throughout his racing career, his future roles may include ambassadorial duties. These could involve appearances at Red Bull’s global marketing and promotional events, including their high-profile show runs and stunts. Although the specifics are still unclear, such a partnership would allow the Australian to remain a key figure within the Red Bull family, despite no longer being part of the driver line-up.
“He grew up with Red Bull, and he’s taking some time out at the moment,” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said after the US GP “But he’d be very welcome, any time, to be part of whatever role he elected to want to get involved in.
“He has a massive profile, and you’re a long time retired so, if he chose to want to get involved in some activities in the US in any way, it’s something we’d be very open to,” he added.
Red Bull says it wants to keep Daniel Ricciardo in an "ambassadorial capacity" but team boss Christian Horner has even left the door slightly ajar for Ricciardo to return to a Red Bull cockpit: pic.twitter.com/RG4DJ9XrPf
— The Race (@wearetherace) October 1, 2024
Last week, Ricciardo was seen in an Instagram post with friends, wearing a hat humorously referencing his “retirement.” While this playful moment led to speculation that Ricciardo had stepped away from motorsport entirely, sources close to the Australian clarified that the hat was intended as a joke among friends rather than an official announcement of his retirement from racing.
Is Daniel Ricciardo on his way to the Australian Supercars?
While Red Bull awaits Daniel Ricciardo’s decision on his future, one thing remains clear: he still has the option to continue his racing career. The Australian Supercars series has openly expressed its eagerness to welcome Ricciardo into the championship. Supercars CEO Shane Howard told News Corp, “Would we like to see Daniel Ricciardo in a Supercar? 100 per cent.”
He added that Ricciardo would be embraced “with open arms” by everyone involved in the series, highlighting the enthusiasm for the Australian driver’s potential move into the high-profile racing category.
Ricciardo is also rumored to be considering a surprising move to NASCAR following his departure from Formula 1. Respected Formula 1 commentator Alex Jacques has suggested that a future in NASCAR could be on the cards for Ricciardo, noting the Australian’s strong popularity in the United States, bolstered by his prominent role in Netflix’s hit series Drive to Survive.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
