Daniel Ricciardo would likely have been replaced in 2025 if he avoided the early F1𒊎 axe, David Coulthard insists.

Red Bull are set to replace Ricciardo with Liam Lawson in their sister te𝔍am, RB, from the next grand prix in Texas.

It means his 13-year 𓄧tenure in Formula 1 has likely come🐷 to an abrupt end.

“It hasn’t been a stellar comeback 𝄹for him,” fellow f🐠ormer Red Bull driver Coulthard said on Channel 4.

“This isn’t a show of ౠfriends. It’s about the stop🌠watch and the chequered flag.

“It does just feel that, even if he did go until the end of the year, then there would be a change nextဣ year.”

Ricciardo initially lost his F1 seat at the end of 2022 when McLaren ditched him♍, in favour of Oscar Piastri.

He returned midway through 2023 at AlphaTauri in place of the under-performing Nyck de Vrie🅺s.

Ricciardo’s progress was dented by a hand injury, when Lawson impress🌠ively deputised. But Red Bull kept Ricciardo in their rebranded RB squad this year.

Ricciardo even hoped some good results would lead to a promotion𝔉 to the main team next༒ to Max Verstappen, a position he once held. It never happened.

'Consolation' of fastest lap

Instead Ricciardo emotionally left the F1 ཧpaddock in Singapore after scoring the fastest lap bonus point.

“He served a purpose. He was outsꦦide of the points,” Coulthard said.

“If that was his last lap in anger of a grand prix car, a set of softs and low fuel, then the honour of the fastest lap has go൩t to be some consolation.”

Ric𒁃cia꧅rdo was reduced to tears after the Singapore Grand Prix when admitting his time was likely done.

“It has been a really tough watch, the whole weekend,” said reporter Lawrence Baꦓrretto whose intervi♑ew made Ricciardo emotional.

“He came in with mounting♕ speculation over his future.

“He 🎶had a great Friday and everyone thought it would shape up to be a great weekend🧜.

“He had a difficult quꦡalifying and [in the race]... I know he got the faཧstest point. But he was so sad, at the end.

“I didn’t mean to make him cry. It gets into th♋e emotion of it all.”