Daniel Ricciardo's abrupt departure from Formula 1 revolves around Red Bull's future strategy, according to team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko.
The swirling rumours that began in Singapore have now been confirmed, as Red Bull officially announced that Ricciardo, 35, won't be returning to his seat at the junior squad RB with immediate effect.
While this is positive news for Liam Lawson, the manner in which Ricciardo left Singapore in tears last Sunday without official confirmation has left many discontented.
"Daniel Ricciardo left Singapore in a way that a driver of his talent surely did not deserve," Frederic Ferret wrote for France's L'Equipe.
Tobias Gruner from Auto Motor und Sport echoed this sentiment: "Daniel Ricciardo actually deserved to say goodbye to Formula 1 in style."
Marko even acknowledged that the Australian was actually already aware of his impending departure during the Singapore event.
"The timing had to do with various factors and obligations," said the 81-year-old.
"He was informed and the worthy farewell performance was the fastest lap. That still showed the potential he has, although not consistently and not at the level that would bring him to Red Bull Racing," Marko shared with motorsport-total.com.
"Since he left us for Renault, he lost his winning instinct and I can't explain what happened."
Red Bull was faced with the need to act on their contract option for 22-year-old New Zealander Lawson by the end of September, and it is believed that RB's main backers, Visa and Cash App, had been lobbying hard for Ricciardo to remain at the same time.
There are claims that Ricciardo's representatives at Creative Artists Agency were the ones who introduced Visa and Cash App to the Faenza-based team.
However, for Red Bull, with Ricciardo unable to perform at the level required for a return to the main team, giving Lawson the chance to finish the remaining 2024 races was seen as a calculated move.
"We want to have a comparison," Marko confirmed.
"Where does Lawson stand in relation to Yuki (Tsunoda), so that we know for the future what the driver pairing will look like for both of our teams."
Speculation is also growing that Sergio Perez may announce his retirement from Formula 1 at his home race in Mexico next month.
"We have to look to the future," Marko stated.
"There are many young people on the launch pad like (Isaak) Hadjar, Lawson and also (Ayumu) Iwasa."
Regarding criticism of the timing of Ricciardo's announcement, Marko asserted: "He himself indicated that he is at peace with it. He has accepted the situation and we will see what his plans are for the future."
Former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde commented on DRS De Race Show: "He could go into endurance racing or something like that, but actually it's time for him to do television. He has such a strong personality and he also does the marketing side so well that I'm sure he'll get an offer."
