The speculation is over and so is Daniel Ricciardo's Formula One career, leaving Aussie fans furious over the way Red Bull sealed the deal. Ricciardo, 35, was officially axed by Red Bull affiliate RB Racing on Monday to bring in Kiwi young gun Liam Lawson for the final six races of the F1 season. It brings a close to months of wild speculation, that began with the Aussie firming for a Red Bull return at the expense of Sergio Perez and ended with the axe falling in devastating fashion.
Ricciardo exited with class and emotion in Singapore, recording the fastest lap time as a final sign off in a career that has netted eight GP wins - more than any other Australian. 'I have to acknowledge it's obviously been a little bit of a race-by-race situation and I would obviously have loved the weekend to have gone better,' he said. 'It didn't, so I have to be prepared for this maybe being it.
'Let's say I'm at peace with it. At some point, it will come for all of us.' Daniel Ricciardo endeared himself to Aussies and the F1 world with his famous 'shoey' celebration that came out eight times during his career The moment of realisation came after the Singapore GP when Ricciardo knew he had raced in Formula One for the last time Ricciardo showed all the promise in the world early in his career and finished third in the driver's championship on two occasions in addition to winning the Monaco GP (pictured) His supporters were resigned to his fate, but also left furious at how Red Bull could tre.
