Red Bull driver ‘set to be sacked after Singapore GP’ with replacement ‘already lined up’

A popular Formula 1 driver could be about to lose his seat, with the change potentially coming before the Singapore Grand Prix.

The race for the F1 drivers’ and constructors’ championships will continue this weekend when the Singapore GP takes place at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on Sunday.

McLaren now lead the constructor standings for the first time in a decade after Oscar Piastri’s stunning win on the streets of Baku.

The British team are now on 476 points, closely followed by Red Bull Racing (456) and Ferrari (425).

Max Verstappen’s lead at the top of the driver standings was cut at the weekend, with the Red Bull star now on 313 points – following by McLaren’s Lando Norris (254) and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (235).

All is not well at Red Bull Racing, and it has now been claimed there could be changes at sister team Visa Cash App RB [VCARB] – who are also own Austrian conglomerate Red Bull.

Veteran F1 journalist Roger Benoit claims [via AutoRacing1] that the Singapore GP could be Daniel Ricciardo’s last race with VCARB – with Red Bull Racing reserve driver Liam Lawson set to replace him.

“The career of Daniel Ricciardo could end here in Singapore, after 257 races and 8 victories,” Benoit wrote in Blick.

“Racing Bulls [VCARB] has exercised the option on New Zealander Liam Lawson [22].”

While several other outlets have since claimed Lawson is set to replace Ricciardo, there have been conflicting reports over when the change could take place.

Dutch journalist Rick Winkelman wrote in Ziggo Sport that Lawson could drive for VCARB in Singapore this weekend.

“I have understood from several people that Liam Lawson will definitely drive in Singapore,” he wrote.

Conflicting reports claim Ricciardo will only be replaced after the Singapore GP, with Lawson set to be brought in during the four-week break before the United States Grand Prix on October 20.

Meanwhile, other outlets have claimed Red Bull may wait until the 2025 season to bring Lawson in.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko was asked specifically about the plans for VCARB’s driver line-up, and told Viaplay: “We have an idea, but we have to wait until Singapore.

“It is still September, but from Singapore, we will have a precise idea. It will be quite clear as to what will happen with the second seat.”

After beating Sebastian Vettel in 2014, Ricciardo was made lead Red Bull Racing driver and was later joined by Verstappen in 2016.

He left the team in 2018 to join Renault, with later spells at McLaren and AlphaTauri – before later returning to the Red Bull fold at VCARB for the 2024 season.

The Australian is currently 14th in the driver standings, having picked up 12 points this season – ten less than his teammate Yuki Tsunoda.