Daniel Ricciardo will not be on the grid at the Australian Grand Prix (Image: Getty)
will be absent from the grid at the in 2025, marking the second successive season without an appearance from the popular Perth-born racer at his home event.
The 35-year-old was dropped by (now Racing Bulls) after the Singapore Grand Prix last year, giving Liam Lawson a six-race audition to snag a seat for the 2025 campaign – an opportunity that he ultimately took full advantage of.
Despite the fact that Ricciardo’s exit from the Faenza-based squad essentially forced him into a premature F1 retirement, the eight-time Grand Prix winner handled the saga with an abundance of grace and class.
This grace was extended to the man who replaced him, Lawson. “I actually spoke to Daniel a lot when it was happening,” the New Zealander explained in an interview with . “I will always have so much respect for him.
“Throughout the whole ordeal, from when the rumours started to when they were confirmed, he never said a bad word about or towards me. He never made it about me and him, because at the end of the day, it wasn’t our decision. It’s up to the team, and what they decide to do.
Liam Lawson holds Ricciardo in extremely high regard (Image: Getty)
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“He was so good to me, through all of it. Fast forward to December, when I got the seat, and Daniel is still the only driver, past or present, to send me a message about it, congratulating me. It says a lot about him as a person.”
While Ricciardo’s presence in Melbourne will be missed, the Australian GP grid will contain two home heroes. Oscar Piastri has a golden chance to win in front of an adoring home crowd after exited the pre-season test in Bahrain as the clear favourites for both World Championships.
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The other Australian on the grid will be Jack Doohan, who is set to make just his second Grand Prix start in front of his home crowd. The 22-year-old was promoted by Alpine to replace the Haas-bound , but after a challenging debut in Abu Dhabi, his future is already being questioned.
Flavio Briatore worked hard to bring Franco Colapinto to Enstone as a reserve driver on a long-term contract, and reports have revealed that Doohan’s contract contains an exit clause within the first six Grands Prix of the 2025 season. The Gold Coast-born star will therefore be under pressure from the outset in Melbourne.