Daniel Ricciardo is expected to make an appearance at the United States Grand Prix, marking his first race since being replaced by VCARB in favor of Liam Lawson.
Ricciardo, a fan favorite—especially in the U.S.—has struggled to convert his popularity into success on the track this season. He has not performed as well as his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, trailing him by 10 points before Lawson was given a chance to shine in the final six races of the season.
The first of these races will be at the Circuit of the Americas, where Lawson may be seen by the driver he replaced. Track chairman Bobby Epstein has expressed hope that Ricciardo will attend, despite not having a racing seat or media commitments.
“Daniel may have just as significant an impact off the track as he does on it at our grand prix,” Epstein said. “I’m not sure people would buy tickets to see him race if he’s not in a competitive car. However, if they’re coming because he’s part of the F1 community, I think he can still contribute in a meaningful way. He’s incredibly popular in Texas, and I believe he enjoys being here.
“I hope he can engage more with fans than he otherwise would if he had racing obligations. We have many people eager to shake his hand, get his autograph, or take a picture. We’ll keep him busy.”
The anticipation of Ricciardo’s presence at the United States GP comes after former F1 driver David Coulthard referred to his exit from VCARB as a publicity “masterstroke.” Many were uncertain about Ricciardo’s future during the Singapore GP, where there were widespread rumors of Lawson taking over, but the 35-year-old did not confirm his status before what could have been his last race.
“I know there’s been a lot of negative reaction, with people questioning why he wasn’t given that opportunity,” Coulthard shared on the *Formula For Success* podcast. “But I’ve heard that he was offered that chance and chose not to take it.
“I’m trying to understand whether that was a personal decision to avoid distractions or a clever media strategy to generate buzz when he presumably shows up in Austin and Vegas. He’s quite popular in America.
“Those are two excellent opportunities for him to capture significant media attention and make the focus all about him, rather than being just another participant in the Singapore GP weekend.”
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