SINGAPORE -- Daniel Ricciardo's Formula 1 future looks increasingly unclear but the Australian has downplayed suggestions ahead of this week's Singapore Grand Prix that the night race will be his last in the sport.
Reports after Baku suggested Ricciardo is set to be replaced at RB by Red Bull junior Liam Lawson, in a move which might even come into effect this season.
A clause in Lawson's contract said that if Red Bull had not found him a race seat by Sept. 15, the day of the Baku race, then they had to provide him with one in either of its teams next year -- multiple sources have confirmed to ESPN the details of that clause are correct.
Sources at Red Bull and those close to both Ricciardo and Lawson appear unsure about the situation or the way the decision will go -- it is understood racing advisor Helmut Marko is keen for Lawson to step up to the company's second team, but Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has always been an advocate of Ricciardo staying on.
Asked on Thursday if Sunday's race would be his last in the sport, Ricciardo said: "I don't think so, but, I also don't want to stand here and be the lawyer.
"Look, I would say no, but also we know how this sport works. People have not seen through a season before. It's nothing new in some ways. So I don't want to also be, 'oh, 100%, I'll bet all my house on it'. I've been around too long."
Ricciardo said his understanding is the talk behind the scenes about Lawson is all about 2025 and not the coming set of races.
"My first expectation is about next year," Ricciardo said. "So that's, let's say, where I'm at at the moment. It's where I'm at. I can't give too many details, in terms of contracts, yeah, our dates pretty much come into this window now. Basically I do expect a yes or a no for '25.
"And then yeah, I know there's obviously, I'm aware of some talk and speculation about the rest of the season. But that for me at the moment, I'm unaware of. The decision I expect is for next year. Obviously crazy things have happened in this sport. I'm also not going to stand here too boastful and confident and 'oh yeah yeah'. Like, I believe I will be, but let's obviously see."
Ricciardo has struggled to find consistency this year and the hype which accompanied his return to AlphaTauri, as RB was known last season, has slowly died out. The original goal of his comeback was to eventually replace Sergio Pérez at Red Bull and that was even speculated as a possibility ahead of the summer break, but that never came to fruition and appears to have disappeared as a legitimate outcome given his form this year.
Ricciardo suggested the rumours have always sounded louder outside the team than within, joking that they would probably go away again with another strong weekend.
"These are things that, as you say, I think as early as probably Japan or Miami, I don't know, there was, am I even going to rock up to the next race? I didn't hear that from the team. But obviously there's noise about that. You hear that one week, and then I put two good races together and Checo doesn't, and I'm, oh, am I going to be in the Red Bull in the summer break?"Ricciardo said.
"So yeah look, I think the main thing is try not to get too high, try not to get too low. At the end of the day, focus on myself. That's where I probably learned as well from the past, not to get bogged down in too much other stuff, because that will always be there, that will always exist. Control the controllables. And that's me putting my best foot forwards, and making sure I'm loving what I'm doing. As much as the year has had some highs and lows, and even now, standing here today there's a lot of pressure and speculation. I still am happy to be here."
Sauber has the only available seat away from RB for next year, but Ricciardo has not received a serious approach from the team about a drive.
He suggested he would not look elsewhere if RB went with Lawson, despite rekindling his passion since returning.
"I definitely have fallen back in love with the sport, post-2022. Yeah, like I've enjoyed this season, even if I haven't been stoked with every weekend that I've done. I've enjoyed going racing, I've enjoyed the competition again and driving,"Ricciardo said.
"So from that point of view, I still have a lot of love for the sport, but I also have to remind myself, 'OK, why did I come back?'
"It was to try and be at the front again. I enjoy it. But when you're not in the points, for sure it's less enjoyable. I'm also 35, I've been at the front, I've experienced the champagne.
"It's like I don't want to hang onto something that might not ever come to fruition again. I've certainly had those conversations in my head. So yeah. I wouldn't say that I would jump at any opportunity next year, that's not the case. I'd probably say peace [out]."