Formula 1 Rumor: Lawson to replace Ricciardo starting with USGP (2nd Update)

After we rumored on Monday that the Singapore GP would be Daniel Ricciardo’s last race with the Visa Cash App RB team, and that he would be replaced by Liam Lawson starting with the USGP, other news outlets have run with the rumor.

Veteran F1 journalist Roger Benoit assumes that Singapore will likely be Ricciardo’s last appearance in RB colors.

“The career of Daniel Ricciardo could end here in Singapore, after 257 races and 8 victories,” he wrote in Blick newspaper.

“Racing Bulls has exercised the option on New Zealander Liam Lawson (22),” Benoit added. That is reinforced by the New Zealander’s appearance on the Taking Bull podcast, which is produced in-house by Red Bull.

After we rumored yesterday (see below) that Daniel Ricciardo will be replaced by Liam Lawson starting with the USGP, other rumors are swirling this week that Red Bull is finally ready to reveal its plans for its second F1 team RB – and those plans may be announced in Singapore with Liam Lawson immediately taking over from 35-year-old Ricciardo.

After Baku, Dutch journalist Rick Winkelman claimed that, according to his sources, the story is true.

“I have understood from several people that Liam Lawson will definitely drive in Singapore,” he told Ziggo Sport, which conflicts with our sources that say the announcement will be made in Singapore that Lawson will take over the seat during the 4-week gap between Singapore and the USGP

“Apparently, Lawson’s contract with Red Bull states that he has to drive at least five grands prix this year,” which means if he starts with the USGP he will get 6 races in 2024.

Red Bull F1 advisor Dr Helmut Marko was actually asked specifically about the plans for RB’s driver lineup, and he told Viaplay at Baku: “We have an idea, but we have to wait until Singapore.

“It is still September, but from Singapore, we will have a precise idea. It will be quite clear as to what will happen with the second seat.”

It is believed Marko’s reference to September is clearly related to clauses in New Zealander Lawson’s F1 contract with the energy drink company.

Former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos says he will not be at all surprised if it turns out that Lawson, 22, has been guaranteed at least five grands prix in 2024.

“That is very possible,” he said, “because I had exactly the same contract at Red Bull, where they obligated you to step in for a number of races.

“In my case, they had to throw Christian Klien out,” Doornbos added, referring to the tail end of the 2006 season. “Otherwise, another clause would have come into effect.”

Dutch commentator Olav Mol says he will not personally be sad if Ricciardo’s Formula 1 adventure is indeed already over.

“He is simply done,” he said. “Valtteri Bottas is also done, and Zhou Guanyu is also done. That’s just the way it is.”

According to AutoRacing1.com (AR1) sources, New Zealand’s Liam Lawson will drive for the Visa Cash App RB Formula 1 team starting in Austin for the USGP.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Sources tell us Australian Daniel Ricciardo will be dropped from the team and Yuki Tsunoda will remain to drive alongside Lawson.

Red Bull gave 35-year old Ricciardo enough time to completely dominate Tsunoda, but he has not been able to, so it’s time to pull the plug.

Tsunoda has outperformed Ricciardo more than the reverse, and the team has decided it wants to have two young drivers going forward in case Max Verstappen leaves Red Bull after the 2025 season. Red Bull wants two young drivers in their ‘B’ team with enough race experience to be promoted up to the ‘A’ team.

Always some excuse for Ricciardo

Ricciardo qualified his RB 16th fastest on Saturday, though penalties for Lewis Hamilton and Pierre Gasly saw him line up for the race in 14th.

In the early laps he was engaged in a scrap with Yuki Tsunoda and Lando Norris, before his pace fell away as the stint wore on.

“Starting on the hard, you always have that option to go long,” Ricciardo explained.

“I think we knew it was going to be a long afternoon when I had graining before the medium guys had graining.

“Actually Ollie [Bearman], to be fair, Ollie probably had a little bit very early because he came back into us, so there was a few laps, we caught him, and I was right behind him thinking ‘Okay, I’ll pass him easily.”

“But basically, as soon as I caught him, I then had the graining and I think his probably cleared.

“So even the medium guys cleared me, and I was two, three seconds slow for, I don’t know, I felt like the whole race, but I would say at least 10 laps.”

“We struggled so much with the graining,” Ricciardo said.

“I was just driving, honestly it was getting worse and worse, I thought ‘Okay, we’re probably just going to have to pit,’ and then the team said it looks like it’s clearing up on some cars, just try and do what you can with switches, help the balance, and see what happens.

“Then, all of a sudden, the next lap, a second quicker, half a second quicker, a second quicker. The swing was like four seconds.

“I’ve had graining before, but I’ve never had it like that.”