Ricciardo’s F1 departure finally concludes uncomfortable viewing

Daniel Ricciardo treated the Singapore Grand Prix knowing it was his final race in F1.

Heading into the weekend, the eight-time grand prix winner made clear he was aware of the noise circulating over his future.

Across the event in Singapore, Ricciardo appeared to become more emotional, culminating in the Australian choking back tears during post-race media duties.

Ricciardo has a career to be proud of and has achieved more than most who came before him and most who will follow.

But the 35-year-old's dip in success compared to others who have raced in F1 does not ease the bruising circumstances of his abrupt exit.

Ten years ago marked a breakthrough moment for Ricciardo.

He was chosen to replace compatriot Mark Webber at Red Bull, who had opted to bring the curtain down on his own respectable F1 career.

With just two-and-a-half seasons under his belt in F1 - he competed in 11 races with HRT/Hispania before two years with Toro Rosso - Ricciardo instantly delivered in more competitive machinery, albeit a step down from the standards Red Bull had become accustomed to across the previous seasons.

Throughout the season, he out-paced four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel and imprinted himself as a staple of the front-running contingency.

Dazzling performances followed over his five-year spell with Red Bull, with each of his victories memorable and unique.

He fashioned a recognition for being one of the best overtakers on the grid with his ‘divebomb’ moves and seemed to be waiting for championship-competing machinery to further impose himself.

A title-winning car never came his way at Red Bull, and with Max Verstappen rapidly rising in reputation, Ricciardo opted to take his career in a new direction with a switch to Renault.

He performed strongly, albeit in the midfield pack, before switching to McLaren where his career significantly derailed.

Ricciardo failed to get up to speed alongside Lando Norris and lasted just two seasons at the Woking-based squad, with the team ultimately buying him out of his final year to bring in Oscar Piastri.

He was thrown an F1 lifeline midway through last year’s campaign and was retained for the current season but his inconsistent performances alongside Yuki Tsunoda soon made it apparent his McLaren woes were no fluke.

For almost four years, the storylines that have followed Ricciardo around have been about his lacklustre displays, a far cry from the brilliance on display at Red Bull.

It has been difficult to watch Ricciardo in this state when he was once such a mesmerising prospect on the race track.

The emotions on display on Sunday in Singapore show that Ricciardo still cares deeply about F1, having made it his home for the last 13 years.

But the Ricciardo we have watched since 2021 isn’t the Ricciardo that should be remembered. Instead, his highlight reels will display the daring but calculated overtakes en route to a successful result or the ear-to-ear smile for which he is so well known.

Witnessing the difficult period has been difficult, especially knowing what is truly capable from 'the honey badger'.

While the chapter has closed on F1, there are various other opportunities out there for Ricciardo to enjoy himself and in turn, make him fun to watch once more.