Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has shared a heartfelt tribute to Daniel Ricciardo following news he has been fired by RB.
Ricciardo’s career in F1 is now widely expected to be over following official news that he is set to be replaced for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Following his poor 2024 performances, RB have opted to replace Ricciardo with Liam Lawson for the final six races of the season, with a view to potentially putting him in the car full-time in 2025.
With not many viable options elsewhere for the 35-year-old, the Singapore Grand Prix is looking like it may have been the final race of a career that has seen eight grand prix victories, 32 podiums and three pole positions.
Lewis Hamilton Daniel Ricciardo tribute
Now, among the news, many other F1 stars have taken to social media to give their send-offs to the Australian, who has been a fixture of F1 for over a decade.
Ricciardo was known for his upbeat attitude, funny personality, and iconic podium celebrations, which he was able to show off 32 times.
One of those times included the 2020 Emilia Romagna GP when, driving an underperforming Renault, he managed to join Hamilton on the podium.
The pair embraced, and Hamilton opted to do a ‘shoey’ with the Australian, a trademark of his where he drank champagne from his own sweaty boot.
Now, Hamilton has referenced that day in an Instagram post celebrating his former rival. In the post, he said: “@danielricciardo it’s been a honour to compete with you over the years. I’ll never forget the battles, the laughs, and drinking out of your shoe 🤢 It was gross, but glad I got to do it with you bud,”
“You leave a legacy of always being yourself, which in this sport is never easy. You’ve taken it all with the biggest smile and I salute you for it. There is so much more for you up ahead and I can’t wait to see what you do next. Always here for you, man.”