Daniel Ricciardo’s race at the Singapore Grand Prix was anything but conventional. Starting on soft tyres and ultimately finding himself out of the points, the Australian driver was called in for a final stop towards the end, securing the fastest lap in a dramatic twist to his day.
Reflecting on the race, Ricciardo revealed his approach was an attempt to take a more aggressive stance. He said,“We tried, obviously, soft and just trying to be a bit more aggressive at the start. If we put a hard on, probably going to go backwards, so let’s put a soft on and see where it takes us.
“If it doesn’t do much for us, we could try to pit early and maybe undercut a few cars, but yeah, safety car, I think, look, at the end of the day, we weren’t quick enough.”
His performance on the day didn’t offer much, but Ricciardo was handed the opportunity to have some fun towards the end. “Fastest lap in the world. Fastest lap, yeah,” Ricciardo quipped. When asked if he understood the team’s intentions for the fastest lap, Ricciardo explained, “I had an idea, but I also thought they were just letting me have some fun because we were obviously a long way out of the points.”
That fun turned into a crucial moment for Red Bull, as Ricciardo secured a vital point for the team with that fastest lap. “I’m kind of hoping Max wins by a point now because I guaranteed myself a very nice Christmas present if so. So, sorry Lando, but I think I’d get a good Christmas present.”
Ricciardo was also asked about a team order regarding Yuki Tsunoda, with some tension arising between the two AlphaTauri drivers. He explained the situation with calmness and maturity, saying, “I got told when I crossed the start-finish line, OK, let Yuki by before Turn 7 and I did.
“So yeah, I never challenged it. I knew he was on a better tyre, so honestly, I knew the call was inevitable, and I was just waiting for the team to tell me.
“I wasn’t trying to ruin his race by any means. I made it as easy as I could for him.”
As the weekend wound down, Ricciardo faced questions about his future in the sport and whether this race could be his last.
“Look, obviously, there is a realistic chance that it’s not going to happen. I think, obviously, it’s been a very race-by-race situation with Red Bull, I think, for all of us in a way.
“Obviously, there was a lot of emphasis on this weekend and I would have loved a better weekend and who knows if that would have changed anything or if the decision has been made already even prior to the weekend. You know what I mean?”
Ricciardo admitted he’s at peace with the prospect of stepping away, noting his shift in mindset since his return to F1.
“I think acknowledge also why I came back into the sport.
“I always said I don’t just want to be a guy that’s here on the grid and fighting for a point every now and then, which has kind of been how this year’s gone but obviously this year the purpose was to try and then do good enough to get back into Red Bull and obviously fight for wins again.
“I came up short with that, so I think then it’s OK, what else am I fighting for here? What else is going to give me fulfilment?”
He continued, touching on the future of his racing career, “If I’m not able to fight at the front with Red Bull, then yeah, I have to ask myself what am I staying on the grid for? That’s something I’ve also come to peace with.”
As the conversation shifted to the end of the race and Ricciardo’s fastest lap, he embraced the lighter moment. He said, “I heard something about a $3.5 million bonus for fastest lap or something.”
“Red Bull was throwing some crazy number around so yeah, I mean look, I tried to obviously enjoy it you know, a little bit like the end of ’22 with McLaren. I was aware maybe that was my last race, so I tried to enjoy that.
“I think I’m in a much happier place now in the sport than I was then, so if this is it, let’s say I have a little bit more peace, and I’m proud of the career.”
In response to being asked if he would consider taking a reserve driver role again, Ricciardo was candid, “No, look, obviously last year it made a lot of sense to keep one foot in the door and obviously the big picture was to try and get back at Red Bull.
“I’m also 35. Maybe that is a little bit of an age thing. I think it definitely came easier for me when I was 25 as opposed to 35.
“It’s probably a tall task for me to fight at that level week in, week out, so I can’t be disappointed with that.”
Finally, when questioned about the fans voting him as Driver of the Day, Ricciardo’s humility shone through.
“I don’t think the Driver of the Day normally means much to us, drivers, it’s nice, but it’s not something we brag about, but I think today obviously the fans read the media and know that this could be my last one.
“I thank them for being a part of it and acknowledging my efforts and my love for the sport.”
With his fastest lap, Ricciardo added yet another unique moment to his storied F1 career. Whether it was his final race, his reflections show a driver who is at peace with his journey, proud of his accomplishments, and grateful for the memories he’s made in the sport.
