RB principal Laurent Mekies has fuelled hypothesis that Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix was Daniel Ricciardo’s Components 1 farewell by saying it was the explanation the workforce gave the Australian an opportunity to set quickest lap.

“Given this may occasionally have been Daniel’s final race, we wished to offer him the prospect to savour it and exit with the quickest lap,” he stated.

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That lap, on the finish of the race, was comprehensible if controversial because it denied McLaren’s title contender and race winner Lando Norris some extent within the battle with Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen.

It meant Verstappen left Singapore 52 factors forward relatively than 51.

The drivers for Pink Bull and sister workforce RB are all below contract to the vitality drink firm, homeowners of each outfits.

Former McLaren driver Ricciardo was 18th so didn’t profit from the additional level, which may solely be taken by a driver ending within the high 10.

Verstappen thanked Ricciardo after the race for the help.

McLaren boss Andrea Stella was clearly sad with the state of affairs however stopped in need of accusing rivals of collusion.

“At no level do I’ve components now to say Racing Bulls went for the quickest lap to assist Pink Bull, I simply discover it somewhat peculiar. I didn’t see it coming,” the Italian stated.

“I used to be somewhat stunned that the best precedence of Racing Bull’s racing in Singapore was to go and rating the quickest lap of the race.

“On the similar time, I’ve a lot sympathy, assist and friendship with Daniel that I am simply completely satisfied that he might add this quickest lap to his observe file.”

Pink Bull boss Christian Horner stated Ricciardo “clearly wished to complete the race on a excessive.”

The Australian is now anticipated to make manner for New Zealander Liam Lawson, with RB but to substantiate who will accomplice Yuki Tsunoda subsequent yr.

“We have now bought a time frame the place we’ll consider the entire relative performances of the entire drivers. It is a pure break within the season to mirror on that,” Horner stated.

“There is a greater image clearly past Daniel so he is only one a part of the jigsaw. I feel that we all know Daniel very effectively, we all know what he is able to, how he drives a automotive so we have now that information.”