VCARB create mystery about Ricciardo's future: 'Sit down after Singapore'
F1 News
Visa Cash App RB boss Laurent Mekies has generated further mystery around Daniel Ricciardo's future in the team. The Australian will compete in the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend on behalf of VCARB, but there are increasing noises that it will be his final weekend in the sport. The VCARB boss didn't rule it out and admitted there would be a discussion after the Singapore race.
There is a suggestion that Liam Lawson will get the seat for the United States Grand Prix onwards. There is a three-week break between the Singapore Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix which takes place towards the end of October. Mekies created more uncertainty regarding the situation but did not publically back his Australian driver.
Will Ricciardo stay at VCARB?
"We have had these questions over and over since the beginning of the season," Mekies said in a conversation with Sky Sports. "Reviewing drivers' performance every so often is something normal. We have also made it quite public. We reviewed it at the first part of the season. We have done it before the shutdown. We made it also quite public that we will sit down together after Singapore, that's where we are really. So, not seeing nothing decided so far," he added.
By saying this, Mekies has not ruled out a departure for Ricciardo after this weekend. At the same time, the Italian boss didn't say it was certain Ricciardo will leave. Ricciardo, therefore, perhaps has one pivotal weekend in Singapore to prove he is worthy of seeing out the season alongside Yuki Tsunoda. His Japanese teammate has scored nearly twice as many points as Ricciardo so far this season.
This article has been created in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen