From victory to headlines: Norris shines, but Ricciardo steals the spotlight

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

SINGAPORE -- Lando Norris laid down a marker of how genuine his championship challenge is with a dominant win at the Singapore Grand Prix, but by Sunday evening, the headlines belonged to his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

Norris' victory, nearly flawless apart from a close shave with the wall at Turn 10 on Lap 45, underscored his potential championship credentials. McLaren had celebrated his win at the Dutch Grand Prix in August with a social post reading simply "statement," but this Singapore victory arguably made an even bigger one, reflecting the level of his performance across the weekend and the setbacks encountered between Zandvoort and Singapore.

The triumph silenced several persistent narratives.

Norris, who often struggles when starting from pole, nailed his getaway off the line and held the lead into Turn 1, maintaining it by the end of the first lap—his first in eight attempts.

What about in-form teammate Oscar Piastri, dubbed F1's champion-in-waiting after his spectacular Baku win just seven days earlier? Still true. The Australian displayed his overtaking prowess in a late charge from sixth to third. However, it's clear that Norris remains the more polished of McLaren's two drivers, showcasing his dominance throughout the weekend.

Norris arrived in Singapore with a point to prove. "Just chill out, bring this car home," race engineer Will Joseph nervously instructed towards the end. He added, "full concentration now, take a drink," indicating Norris was demanding more from the car than necessary given his healthy lead. His final winning margin of 20.945 seconds—F1's equivalent of a 4-0 win in football—could have been even larger, underlining McLaren's advantage for months.

Though mathematically the underdog in the championship battle, now 52 points adrift of Verstappen with six races and two sprints remaining, the critical combination of momentum and a superior car are firmly on Norris' side as the season heads to its climax.

However, Norris' dominant victory and his deficit could have been further narrowed by one more point, if not for a subplot tied to another prevailing storyline: the future of Daniel Ricciardo.

Ricciardo's bid for the fastest lap on the race's final circuit, robbing Norris and McLaren of a bonus championship point, appeared to cap his Formula 1 career.

Pitting late for the bonus point for the fastest lap is commonplace in F1 when there's a gap to the car behind. Rarely is it done when 18th and a lap down, as Ricciardo was when RB called him in. With fresh soft tyres and a clear track, Ricciardo secured the fastest lap in style.

The bonus point is awarded only if you set the fastest lap and finish in the top 10. Thus, Norris merely lost one point. RB's senior team, Red Bull, locked in a fight with Norris and McLaren in both the drivers' and constructors' championships, opened up speculation of collusion between the energy giant's two F1 teams with the late Ricciardo stop.

This might also mark the final act in the career of the beloved Ricciardo, who, despite never living up to his past form from 2014 to 2018 with Red Bull, has remained one of the sport's most popular figures through highs and lows during his F1 journey.

Ricciardo's bizarre farewell: a power struggle and teary goodbyes

The farewell of Daniel Ricciardo to Formula 1 took an emotional turn this weekend, as the Australian driver participated in what many believe was his final race in the sport. The situation leading up to this point has been engulfed in a cloud of uncertainty and internal power struggles within the Red Bull organization.

The speculations began after the Baku race, with reports suggesting Ricciardo's seat might be handed over to Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson after the Singapore Grand Prix. Throughout the week, Red Bull failed to provide a definitive answer, attributed to a power tussle between team principal Christian Horner, who is keen on retaining Ricciardo, and racing advisor Helmut Marko, who is not. According to reports, this rift has been confirmed, yet Red Bull's official stance remains elusive.

Ricciardo's underwhelming performance this season fortified the "Ricciardo Out" camp, leading to mounting frustration over the lack of transparency from Red Bull. Sources close to Ricciardo expressed disappointment over the unresolved situation as he approached the race.

Amidst the speculation, Ricciardo's late pit stop and subsequent fastest lap were seen by many as a symbolic "thank you and good luck." When questioned about any orchestrated effort between Red Bull and RB, Horner curtly responded, "None," adding, "Daniel obviously wanted to finish the race on a high."

RB team principal Laurent Mekies stated, "Given this may have been Daniel's last race, we wanted to give him the chance to savour it and go out with the fastest lap." The ambiguity surrounding Ricciardo's future seemed clearer in the aftermath of his emotional post-race interviews.

Ricciardo's post-race demeanor was laden with emotion. He fought back tears during his interview with F1's Lawrence Barretto and was philosophical about his career when speaking to the written media.

"I'm proud of the career. I tried to become world champion, I tried to become the best at something in the world," Ricciardo reflected. Despite falling short of his ultimate goal, he expressed no regret.

The departure was bittersweet; Ricciardo was greeted with an impromptu guard of honor from the team's guests and heartfelt goodbyes from his RB teammates and staff. The atmosphere had all the makings of a farewell party.

While multiple sources are nearly certain that Ricciardo will leave RB, the timing of an official announcement for Lawson's promotion remains unclear. "We'll now evaluate all the relevant performances of the drivers," Horner stated, indicating introspection during the season break.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown voiced concerns over the coordination between Red Bull's teams. "That's a nice A- /B-Team sporting thing that I didn't think was allowed... but hey, that's not the first time we've seen it," he commented, pointing out the potential favoritism in team strategies.

F1 fans bestowed Ricciardo with the Driver of the Day accolade for his efforts. "I'll be honest, I don't think the Driver of the Day normally means much to us drivers," Ricciardo admitted, "but... today it is appreciated."

Max Verstappen, Ricciardo's former teammate, expressed gratitude for the fastest lap, hinting at the improbability of them sharing an F1 track again. "He's a great guy, honestly... we'll sit back and look at all those years together and have a beer together," Verstappen reflected.

Looking ahead: reflecting on Ricciardo's future in racing

Ricciardo reiterated his stance on racing only if he could compete at the front. "For me, if I'm not able to fight at the front with Red Bull, I have to ask myself what am I staying on the grid for," he pondered.

Assuming the reports of Ricciardo's early departure are accurate, his final moments in Singapore encapsulate the enduring popularity he holds among fans. The emotional farewell underlined a sentiment many share: Ricciardo deserved a more dignified goodbye.

His potential departure marks the end of an era, leaving a legacy of joy, resilience, and undying spirit in Formula 1.

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