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“This is a Cutthroat Sport:” F1 Expert Explains if Daniel Ricciardo’s Exit Was Not Handled Well

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"This is a Cutthroat Sport:" F1 Expert Explains if Daniel Ricciardo's Exit Was Not Handled Well

Earlier this week, Red Bull announced that Daniel Ricciardo would be replaced by Liam Lawson for the remainder of the 2024 season. While many considered his dismissal harsh, F1 expert Tim Hauraney pointed out that the nature of motorsports is cutthroat.

In the Nailing the Apex podcast, Adam Wylde asked Hauraney whether Ricciardo should have gotten a better send-off. Almost immediately, Hauraney, a former racer himself, recalled how he exited open-wheel racing.

“I didn’t even finish it,” he said. “Technically, my last open-wheel racing memory? I didn’t even make it to the next race. Because we ran out of money.” 

“Our sponsor didn’t have enough… This is a cutthroat sport man. This is the way it is,” he added.

Hauraney added that motorsports had always been like this. The ruthless nature of dealing with drivers and their sacking had been a part of it long before he came into it, and will always remain. “Sometimes you don’t get those great sendoffs”, he added.

At the same time, the reason behind Ricciardo’s sacking remained a widely discussed topic. One thing, however, seems almost certain: Ricciardo won’t be part of the grid in 2025, which would be a huge loss for the F1 community.

No one could have fun quite like Ricciardo

Hauraney revealed that with F1 losing Ricciardo, they would be at a massive risk of losing sponsors. As per him, the Australian’s fun personality makes him an important commercial asset.

In the podcast, Wylde also mentioned that no F1 driver could have fun quite like Ricciardo did. “Daniel’s ability to relate to people, have fun with people was sort of second to none, he stated.

Ricciardo was a very popular figure within the paddock too, and was friends with almost the entire grid. When he put up a post thanking the teams and his fans for the opportunity in F1, several drivers and other entities from the sport commented, showing their love for the honey badger.

The doors may be closed for Ricciardo in 2025, but a twist of fate could still see him make a return to F1 in 2026, if luck is on his side.

Post Edited By:Vidit Dhawan

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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