F1 news: Three of the best race victories from departing driver Daniel Ricciardo
It was announced on Thursday that the eight-time grand prix winner, Daniel Ricciardo, would be leaving Visa Cash App RB immediately before the next race in Austin, Texas.
The Aussie star shared a heartfelt farewell on Instagram and even though he didn't officially confirm his departure from Formula 1, it's unlikely he'll secure a seat for the 2025 season and beyond.
Ricciardo already made a return to the sport midway through the 2023 season after he was dropped by McLaren at the end of the 2022 season.
With the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend probably being his last race ever in F1, Sports News Blitz’s F1 writer Harry Whitfield reviews the top three wins of his fantastic career.
McLaren 1-2 in Monza 2021
Ricciardo was having an OK season heading into the 2021 Italian Grand Prix but had yet to score a podium for the team - unlike his team-mate Lando Norris.
However, after the sprint race, he managed to finish third before Valterri Bottas’ grid penalty promoted him to the front row.
At the race start, he overtook Max Verstappen to take the lead of the race, which he kept until the first round of pit-stops.
After regaining the lead when everyone else pitted and title contenders Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen collided with each other taking them both out, Ricciardo cruised home for a McLaren one-two.
It was their first one-two since 2010 and Ricciardo’s first win since leaving Red Bull. It is currently his last victory in F1.
The now 35-year-old let out a victory roar over the radio and eventually stated that: “And for anyone who thought I had left, I never left. Just moved aside for a while.”
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Redemption Day in Monaco 2018
The 2016 Monaco Grand Prix was a race to forget for Ricciardo as the victory was snatched from him when he came in for a pit-stop and the team did not have the tyres ready.
It cost him time in the pits and he would lose the lead to Hamilton and eventually lose the race win.
Two years later, he secured pole position again in Monaco just like in 2016 - however, this time he would keep first place and go on to win the grand prix.
He won despite having a MGU-K problem that gave him 25% less horsepower than the other drivers for 50 laps, but he still managed to hold off Sebastian Vettel.
As he crossed the line, Sky F1 commentator David Croft exclaimed ‘Today in Monte Carlo, It’s redemption day for Daniel Ricciardo’.
Ricciardo wins hectic 2017 Baku GP
The 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a chaotic and controversial race as Ricciardo won after starting from P10 on the grid.
Although he started in the top 10, he dropped down to P17 after he pitted to remove debris from his brakes.
After slowly making his way up the order, he found himself in fifth place as the red flag was brought out due to excessive amounts of debris on the track.
Before the red flag, Hamilton and Vettel had collided during the Safety Car with both drivers forced to pit after the race had resumed.
Hamilton pitted due to his head rest coming loose and Vettel with a 10-second stop-go penalty for dangerous driving.
Before the two had pitted, Ricciardo lunged down the inside of the Williams drivers to take third place and eventually inherit the race lead after the two leaders pitted.
He held onto the race lead and took his fifth career victory amidst the chaos that unfolded right in front of him.
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