RB regrets the handling of Daniel Ricciardo’s exit from F1

RB boss Laurent Mekies has admitted the team regrets how Daniel Ricciardo’s premature departure from Formula 1 was handled earlier this month.

Ricciardo’s career ended on a whimper at the final race in Singapore, with the Australian putting up a wistful number as he knew his time in F1 was numbered.

RB did not confirm that Singapore would be its final race, with both the team and driver offering cryptic responses when questioned by the media over the weekend.

News that Liam Lawson would replace Ricciardo came in the days after the race, denying the eight-time race winner the chance for a proper farewell.

Fellow drivers questioned how RB handled the touchy subject, with former team-mate Max Verstappen claiming Daniel Ricciardo deserved a “kinder” exit from the sport.

Mekies has since expressed his frustration at how the situation unfolded, revealing he was concerned about the media strategy imposed on the Australian in Singapore.

“I think the answer is yes, it was frustrating, and yes, you’re right, it wasn’t ideal to spend the weekend that way,” Mekies told media outlets including Motor week.

“First of all for him, professionally and personally, and for the whole team around him.

“For many different reasons, we chose together to enter that weekend unannounced, and from that moment we had to face it, it’s a decision that, in retrospect, we may or may not have done differently, but it’s something we were. both the team and the riders were on board to see it through.”

Mekies pays tribute to driver ‘bigger than F1’

The outpouring of love from the F1 fandom was not lost on Mekies, who wondered if a change in focus would have made the experience worse for Ricciardo.

He also paid tribute to a driver he called “bigger than F1”, admitting the Australian’s loyal support in the face of adversity underlines his enduring popularity in the sport.

“Now, I think in one way or another, we’ve all found a way to express how much love there is from the sport to Daniel, from the fans to Daniel, so I don’t know if it would have been better or worse

“Certainly different, more traditional, but I hope to say that the amount of love and empathy we felt over that weekend was something exceptional and something that shows it’s bigger than F1 drivers, which is bigger than F1”.

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