'You leave a legacy of always being yourself': Hamilton on Ricciardo's F1 career

New Delhi, Sep 27
Seven-time World champion Lewis Hamilton lauded Daniel Ricciardo for leaving a legacy of being himself during his entire Formula 1 career after Team RB confirmed his departure and named Liam Lawson as the Australian driver's replacement for the remainder of the season on Thursday.

Ricciardo's career in F1 came to an immediate end after the announcement qhich meant that the Singapore Grand Prix was his last career race in which he finished 18th with the fastest lap.

"@danielricciardo it's been a honour to compete with you over the years. I'll never forget the battles, the laughs, and drinking out of your shoe gross, but glad I got to do it with you bud.

"You leave a legacy of always being yourself, which in this sport is never easy. You've taken it all with the biggest smile and I salute you for it. There is so much more for you up ahead and I can't wait to see what you do next. Always here for you, man," Hamilton wrote on X.

The Australian returned to an F1 race seat last year in Hungary with AlphaTauri and stayed on when they became RB for this season.

Ricciardo has scored points five times this season, including an impressive fourth place in the Sprint race in Miami, and currently sits 14th in the drivers' standings, trailing teammate Yuki Tsunoda by 10 points. However, his performances haven't been enough to secure a spot within the Red Bull family.

He has achieved eight wins, 32 podiums, and 1,329 points in 258 Grand Prix appearances. His career, spanning 14 seasons, saw him claim his best finishes with third place in the Drivers' Championship in both 2014 and 2016. Throughout his career, he drove for HRT, Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Renault, McLaren, and RB.