Daniel Ricciardo posts emotional behind the scenes photos of last race before F1 axe

McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri feature among the snaps Daniel Ricciardo posted on Instagram several weeks on from what may prove to be his final ever F1 race

Daniel Ricciardo has posted on social media for the first time since his farewell message after he was axed from the Formula 1 grid.

Red Bull announced after the Singapore Grand Prix last month that Ricciardo has been replaced at sister outfit VCARB by reserve driver Liam Lawson. The Kiwi will fill his seat for the final six rounds of the current season, starting with next weekend’s United States Grand Prix.

Other than an emotional farewell message timed with that announcement, Ricciardo has been silent in public. But he has now ended that with a photo dump on Instagram from what is likely to be his final F1 race as a driver.

Ricciardo posted several photos of himself with mechanics and other close allies within the VCARB garage. There was also a haunting image of the floor of his garage with no car there, which just had his name and racing number that will no longer feature then the team turns up in Austin.

Two of his fellow F1 racers also featured among the photos. One features his former McLaren team-mate Lando Norris pulling faces while they shared a car journey together, and another sees Ricciardo posing with Oscar Piastri.

The two Australian drivers were smiling at the camera while they held each others’ racing helmets. It seems they swapped and Piastri is the lucky new owner of what may prove to be the final helmet his compatriot ever used to race in F1.

Naturally, the post sparked an emotional response from Ricciardo’s army of fans. “Just when I stopped crying…” wrote one, while another said: “Much love to you! Will miss you on the grid. Stay well and don’t be a stranger around here.”

There were some famous names in the replies as well, including former F1 driver David Coulthard who held back the tears as he wrote: “Don’t mind me… just cutting onions.” And Canadian rapper 347aidan said he “just fell down to my knees in the Best Buy.”

In his message to fans after his Red Bull axe was confirmed, Ricciardo wrote: “I’ve loved this sport my whole life. It’s wild and wonderful and been a journey. To the teams and individuals that have played their part, thank you.

“To the fans who love the sport sometimes more than me haha, thank you. It’ll always have its highs and lows but it’s been fun and, truth be told, I wouldn’t change it. Until the next adventure.”