Ricciardo replacement SNUBBED as McLaren star achieves…..Read more
Daniel Ricciardo’s Formula 1 career appears to be drawing to a close after being replaced by younger drivers at multiple teams. Ricciardo’s recent demotion came after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, when Liam Lawson replaced him at AlphaTauri (previously VCARB), a role which ultimately propelled Lawson into a position at Red Bull. This shift marks the end of Ricciardo’s stint with AlphaTauri and could signify the end of his career in F1, especially after he was also replaced by Oscar Piastri at McLaren for the 2023 season. The F1 landscape has increasingly favored promoting young drivers, which has made it difficult for veterans like Ricciardo to find a spot in the sport.
In the 2024 season, a number of young drivers gained attention, including those without full-time seats. Liam Lawson, Franco Colapinto, and Ollie Bearman all showcased their talents. A fan poll for the “Best Young F1 Driver of 2024” saw a strong performance from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Piastri’s impressive season, which included two victories at the Hungarian and Azerbaijan Grands Prix, earned him 64% of the vote. His success played a critical role in McLaren’s achievement, as the team secured its first Constructors’ Championship title since 1998, narrowly edging out Ferrari in the standings.
The poll, which focused on drivers under the age of 25, also highlighted Lando Norris, Piastri’s teammate at McLaren, who had been the top young driver in 2023. This year, however, it was Piastri who received the lion’s share of the votes, reflecting the rise of the 22-year-old Australian driver in his second season with McLaren. Piastri’s results not only helped McLaren clinch the Constructors’ title but also solidified his place as one of the most promising young talents in the sport.
Meanwhile, Lawson, who took Ricciardo’s place at AlphaTauri, did not impress fans as much. Despite joining the team in September, Lawson received only two percent of the vote in the “Best Young Driver of 2024” poll. His performance has been underwhelming, especially when compared to other emerging talents. Yuki Tsunoda, Lawson’s teammate at AlphaTauri, and Williams’ Franco Colapinto both received nine percent of the vote, reflecting their solid but unspectacular seasons.
The second-place position in the poll went to 19-year-old Ollie Bearman, who filled in for multiple teams in 2024, including Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and Haas at the Azerbaijan and Brazilian Grands Prix. Bearman’s performances earned him a full-time seat at Haas for the 2025 season, underscoring the growing opportunities for young drivers in the sport.
Despite these breakthroughs for younger talents, Ricciardo’s struggles to secure a full-time F1 seat are becoming more apparent. Teams are increasingly looking to younger drivers, as seen with McLaren’s choice to promote Piastri over Ricciardo for the 2023 season and the emergence of Lawson and other young drivers like Bearman. With these shifts in the driver market, it seems unlikely that Ricciardo will find his way back into a top seat, as the sport continues to prioritize the next generation of drivers.
As McLaren celebrates its Constructors’ Championship, Piastri’s success further elevates the team’s standing in Formula 1, while Ricciardo faces the harsh reality that his career may have run its course in the ever-evolving sport. The focus on fresh, young talent has led to the “snubbing” of Ricciardo’s replacements, signaling a broader trend in
Formula 1.
