by Alex Johnston
Warning, emotional spiel incoming.
“Thank you Daniel”; the radio message from Max Verstappen as he crossed the line in Singapore after being informed by his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase that the legendary Aussie had set the fastest lap on the final lap of the race.
This message seemed less, ‘ah yeah, good job, thanks’ and more ‘thank you for everything’ to me and that felt more when watching Ricciardo in the media pen with his quote, “l got very used to it for many years, and um, yeah…just wanted to savour the moment”, looking up to the media reporter with hazy, red eyes before being received at RB’s motorhome to a standing ovation from guests, in what is a pretty obvious sign of his imminent departure from the series that he has loved his entire life.
The sport has loved him back, gifting him eight wins, 32 podiums, three pole positions and a lifetime worth of memories including racing for established names like McLaren, Renault and Red Bull and sharing garages with heroes and cult heroes of F1 like Nico Hulkenberg, Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel.
Fans adore Ricciardo, his beaming smile a fixture of the paddock since 2011, and his antics on and off track forever remembered.
This seems to be goodbye Daniel, the famed ‘Last of the Late Brakers’, know this sport and its fans has loved you as you have loved it and that the hope is wherever you go, loves you just as much.
Full send Daniel.
📸 Image credits: Formula Motorsport Limited, Sky Sports.
Commentaires