Ricciardo: I’m aware it could be it

F1 arrived in Singapore with reports that Ricciardo will be replaced at VCARB by Liam Lawson before the US Grand Prix in Austin.

The Australian driver denied any of that when facing the media on Thursday in Singapore, but as the weekend progressed, the signs that he would be leaving the sport kept ramping up, with Red Bull boss Christian Horner even adding fuel to the rumors with a really impressive piece of Ronspeak on the matter.

Ricciardo dropped out of qualifying in Q1 and raced to 18th after a late pit stop to go for the fastest lap, which he succeeded in, denying Lando Norris the extra point as VCARB played the junior Red Bull team role to perfection.

Ricciardo's poor performance over the weekend seemed to have sealed his fate, as we just have to wait for the official announcement between now and Austin.

However, the Honey Badger's post race interviews in Singapore were extremely painful to watch, as he was a person knowing his future but unable to reveal it while being bombarded with tough questions about it.

Speaking to F1 TV, Ricciardo was asked why he took his time to climb out of his car in parc ferme, and he responded with a lump in his throat: "There’s a lot of emotions because I’m aware it could be it.

"I think it’s also just exhausted after the race. Just like a flood of many emotions and feelings and exhaustion and the cockpit is something that I got very, very used to for many years, and I just wanted to savor the moment," he explained while on the brink of bursting into tears.

Later on Sky Sports F1, he elaborated more about his future; he added: "I have to be prepared for this maybe being it.

"Let’s say I’m at peace with it," he claimed. "I also have to acknowledge why I came back after the McLaren stint. I always said I don't want to come back just to be on the grid; I want to try and fight back at the front and get back with Red Bull.

"Obviously it didn't come to fruition so then I also have to ask myself the question 'well, then what else can I achieve and what else us there to really go for?'

"I put my best foot forward, let's say the fairytale ending didn't happen but I also have to look back on what it's been. Thirteen or so years and I'm proud.

"Typically the driver of the day is not something us drivers look too much into, but today I can say it's something I'm appreciative of. That one today means a little something," he concluded, referring to being voted driver of the day by the fans at the Singapore GP.

The Singapore GP was Ricciardo's 257th race in the top flight, which is most probably going to be his final, as Red Bull are under a contractual deadline to give Liam Lawson a race seat or else release him, something they are not keen to do since he is currently their best and only true prospect in their junior program.

In closing and as the writer of these words and having seen many drivers come and go, I don't know what is more painful to see: Ricciardo underperforming and becoming the shadow of the brilliant driver he once was, or seeing him leaving the sport like this.

But what is most painful is that Red Bull brought him back, gave him false hope when they surely knew he was way past his sell-by date, and are now dumping him before the season is over.