Liam Lawson talks about the emotional moment when he replaced Daniel Ricciardo – he reveals how uncomfortable the situation really was and praises his predecessor
The 2024 Singapore Grand Prix turned out to be Daniel Ricciardo’s last Formula 1 race, as the Australian was replaced by Liam Lawson for the final six races of the season with the Red Bull team.
Lawson had already stepped in as a replacement for Ricciardo in 2023 after the latter broke his hand in only his second race since returning to replace Nyck de Vries at the Dutch Grand Prix.
At least Ricciardo was able to bid farewell to Formula 1 with the fastest lap at Marina Bay, even if that was only a small consolation given the difficulties he had to contend with on his return.
An open secret
Although the move was still unconfirmed during the Singapore weekend last year, rumors persisted that it would be Ricciardo’s last race—and the emotional nature of the race recap seemed to confirm this.
In fact, Lawson was nominated for the cockpit in Austin at Ricciardo’s expense, providing the New Zealander with the basis for promotion to the Red Bull team in early 2025.
Now, back with the Racing Bulls team, Lawson talks about his memories of that weekend in Singapore. He notes that it was a difficult situation, but is full of praise for Ricciardo’s support—both at that moment and in the run-up to Lawson’s debut in 2023.
Uncomfortable situation
“I mean, obviously it was extremely uncomfortable for us,” Lawson reflects. “I think the only thing I took away from it is what a good person Daniel is and how he treated me the whole way, from my first stint after his injury to my return to the reserve role.”
“We had a very good relationship. Honestly, we still do, and he’s someone where my only takeaway from that weekend last year was how much respect I have for him.”
“He sent me a nice message after Baku, and he’s obviously going his own way at the moment. He’s just someone who has always been very supportive of me.”
Lawson looks up to Ricciardo
“We come from the same part of the world, so it’s something we probably both understand. It’s quite difficult to get to this point, and we can both consider ourselves very lucky.”
When asked about Ricciardo’s decision to give up racing in favor of other interests, Lawson emphasizes that the two are at “very different points in our careers” and that his former teammate’s choice is “personal.”
He then goes on to discuss his own efforts to remain in Formula 1, while facing rumors that Arvid Lindblad could form one half of the Racing Bulls driver pairing in 2026. He says that while he enjoyed his fifth place in Baku, he quickly turned his attention to Singapore to secure his place in the team for next year.
Looking ahead
“I think you enjoy the success, you enjoy the good moments, but it’s crazy how quickly that mindset changes and switches to the next thing.”
“Baku was a great result, and I was really happy for the team and about how the race went. It felt like a great achievement to me, but just a few hours later, you’re already focused on the next race.“
”I think in my position, it’s also natural that when you’re trying to secure a cockpit for next year, you’re probably thinking ahead and trying to continue delivering results like that.”
