Daniel Ricciardo’s contentious parting gift to Max Verstappen

Not about Daniel

As Daniel Ricciardo took to the track in what proved to be his last race for Scuderia AlphaTauri and likely his last ever in Formula 1, his mind was on anything but himself. Instead, it seemed as though he was very much focused on the plight of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen against McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Ricciardo's last mission

Ricciardo was running in 18th place at the Singapore GP on September 22, when his Racing Bulls team (a subsidiary of Red Bull) called him into the pits to fit soft tires with one clear objective: to break Lando Norris' fastest lap record.

Norris hunts Verstappen

The goal? To deprive Lando Norris of an extra point in the drivers' standings, so that he doesn't get closer to Verstappen. It's a mission that really offers no benefit for Ricciardo at this point.

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Ricciardo frustrates Norris

Ricciardo got down to business and set the fastest lap of the race, in 1'34"486, according to the official F1 website.

Pointless?

As Ricciardo still finished in 18th place, the point did not go to him or the Racing Bulls, so on paper the move was virtually pointless.

One point that could change everything

But as a result, Norris is now 52 points behind Verstappen instead of 51, with six races left in the season. This means Norris no longer controls his own fate; if the Dutchman finishes second in all remaining races, he will clinch his fourth world championship, according to Eurosport.

"It was a lap of honor"

For Ricciardo, this last dance was experienced with emotion: "It was a lap of honour," he explained to Sky Sports, "if Max wins the championship with a one-point lead, I guarantee myself a nice present at Christmas."

"Thank you Daniel"

Max Verstappen acknowledged Ricciardo's performance by quietly saying, "Thank you, Daniel," to Christian Horner after being informed that the Australian had set the fastest lap.

McLaren furious

This situation is stirring controversy behind the scenes. Lando Norris missed out on the fastest lap due to a collaboration between Red Bull and AlphaTauri. Journalist Chris Medland reported that McLaren CEO Zak Brown has since called for each team to operate independently in sporting matters.

The criticism

Since McLaren lacks a 'sister' team like Red Bull, it cannot employ such tactics. Jacques Villeneuve expressed his disapproval on Canal+, saying, "I really disliked the collaboration between the two teams. A driver in 18th place has no reason to go for the fastest lap, except to deny it to another team."

No collusion, says Horner

As far as Red Bull Racing head Christian Horner is concerned, there was and is no collusion between AlphaTauri and Red Bull in Singapore. It was simply a case of Ricciardo wanting to finish his F1 career on a high note, as he told media after the event, Fox News reported. But "you'll have to ask [AlphaTauri] about that".

Goodbye Daniel

This situation raises questions about sporting fairness and the advantage of having a 'sister' team. It also marks what could be the final Grand Prix of Daniel Ricciardo’s career, a driver who has undoubtedly left a lasting impact on his generation – especially in his home country.

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