\n<\/p>\n
Asked why the team had pitted him for fresh tyres at the end of the race, a spokesperson for RB said: “If it was to be his last race, we wanted him to go out on a high.”<\/p>\n
The RB spokesperson added that the team did not know whether a decision had been made. Ricciardo\u2019s future will be decided by Red Bull management, primarily team principal Christian Horner and motorsport adviser Helmut Marko.<\/p>\n
Ricciardo said: “I guess it [could] help Max out by Abu Dhabi so maybe there is a Christmas present coming if he wins by a point.”<\/p>\n
Verstappen said: “He can ask for whatever he wants.”<\/p>\n
The Dutchman, who was team-mate with Ricciardo at Red Bull from 2016-2018, paid tribute to the 35-year-old.<\/p>\n
“He\u2019s a great guy,\u201d Verstappen said. “We always had a great relationship. We had a sporty rivalry in the team.<\/p>\n
“He will be remembered as a great driver, as a great person. He has a great character. It\u2019s very rare someone hates him. In a few years\u2019 time when I won\u2019t be here anymore, we will sit back and have a beer and remember all those years together.”<\/p>\n
Ricciardo left Red Bull for Renault at the end of 2018 and spent two seasons in the French team, in which he performed competitively, before moving to McLaren in 2021.<\/p>\n
Once there, he struggled to get on the pace of team-mate Norris, and was dropped after the 2022 season, a year before the end of his contract.<\/p>\n
Ricciardo landed a role as Red Bull reserve for 2023 and was brought back to a race seat halfway through last season as a replacement for Dutchman Nyck de Vries, whose performances for the junior team had not been enough to satisfy management.<\/p>\n
But two races into his return, Ricciardo broke his hand in a crash at the Dutch Grand Prix and was replaced by Lawson for five events.<\/p>\n
Red Bull\u2019s hope in bringing him back was that he might recover the form he had shown with them last decade and become a potential replacement for Sergio Perez as Verstappen\u2019s team-mate.<\/p>\n
But more often than not he has been outperformed by team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.<\/p>\n
Ricciardo told Sky Sports: “I have to acknowledge why I came back after the McLaren stint and I always said I didn’t want to come back just to be on the grid – I wanted to fight at the front and get back with Red Bull.<\/p>\n
“It didn’t come to fruition. I also have to ask myself the question of what else could I achieve and what else is there to really go for?<\/p>\n
“I put my best foot forward and maybe the fairytale ending didn’t happen, but I also have to look back on what it’s been, 13 or so years. I’m proud.”<\/p>\n
Ricciardo had to choke back tears when asked why he had sat so long in the cockpit of his car after the race.<\/p>\n
He said: “A lot of emotions. I am aware it could be it. Just exhausted after the race, so a flood of emotions and feelings and exhaustion. The cockpit is something I got very used to for many years. Just wanted to savour the moment.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n