Daniel Ricciardo racked up more than 250 Formula 1 starts before eventually losing his seat at RB last season.
It was new Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies who was in charge of RB when they eventually decided it was time to part ways with Daniel Ricciardo.
Ricciardo was emotional at last season’s Singapore Grand Prix, when everyone seemed to know he was about to lose his seat, even if no one from Red Bull would officially confirm it.
He failed to get out of Q1 that weekend, and while he set a fastest lap that meant the drivers’ championship was no longer in Lando Norris’ hands, it was very little consolation for the Australian driver.
By the time the next race rolled around in Austin, Ricciardo had lost his seat to Liam Lawson.
However, Juan Pablo Montoya believes that the writing was on the wall for Ricciardo long before that final Grand Prix on the streets of Singapore.
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Photo by Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty ImagesJuan Pablo Montoya says Daniel Ricciardo’s 2023 Dutch Grand Prix crash ended his F1 career
Montoya was speaking on the MontoyAS Podcast and highlighted the importance of a driver protecting their hands during a crash.
This then moved the conversation onto how Ricciardo injured his wrist at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix as he tried to avoid a spinning Oscar Piastri.
Montoya said: “It was precisely for that reason that Lawson started.
“Think about it, a moment of stupidity of that magnitude defined Ricciardo’s career and opened the door to Lawson.
“If Ricciardo didn’t break his hand, Lawson wouldn’t have jumped on the bandwagon.
“It went very well for him, that’s why they gave him the seat.”
Lawson drove superbly during his initial five-race stint in 2023, outqualifying Max Verstappen in Singapore to score the first points of his F1 career.
When he jumped into Ricciardo’s car on a more permanent basis the following year, Christian Horner believed Lawson was the right driver to replace Sergio Perez.
Unfortunately, just two races into the 2025 F1 season, Lawson once again found himself at Racing Bulls for a third separate stint, but his performances have improved in recent races.
So much so that Lawson may be close to agreeing a 2026 contract with Racing Bulls, with pressure coming from Formula 2 star Arvid Lindblad.
READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls F1 driver Liam Lawson? Everything you need to know
Daniel Ricciardo’s potential 2026 Formula 1 comeback ruled out by Cadillac boss
Since losing his seat at RB, Ricciardo has kept his distance from Formula 1.
He’s extremely popular with fans in the United States, but didn’t appear in the paddock during last year’s race in Austin and Las Vegas, and didn’t attend the race in Miami this year.
However, that doesn’t mean he’s not being spoken about in F1 circles.
YEARRACETEAMPODIUM2014Canadian Grand PrixRed BullNico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel2014Hungarian Grand PrixRed BullFernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton2014Belgian Grand PrixRed BullNico Rosberg, Valtteri Bottas2016Malaysian Grand PrixRed BullMax Verstappen, Nico Rosberg2017Azerbaijan Grand PrixRed BullValtteri Bottas, Lance Stroll2018Chinese Grand PrixRed BullValtteri Bottas, Kimi Raikkonen2018Monaco Grand PrixRed BullSebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton2021Italian Grand PrixMcLarenLando Norris, Valtteri BottasDaniel Ricciardo’s F1 wins
Graeme Lowdon is the team principal of Formula 1’s newest team, Cadillac.
Cadillac have yet to sign a driver for their debut 2026 campaign, with the likes of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez heavily rumoured to be of interest to the American outfit.
However, Lowdon has ruled out Ricciardo being an option for Cadillac due to his lack of interest in what’s happening in the paddock right now.
It means if fans are ever going to see The Honey Badger back in F1, it’ll be on the sidelines as opposed to back on the grid.