Daniel Ricciardo’s fastest lap at the Singapore Grand Prix has ignited a flurry of speculation over the Red Bull-RB relationship with McLaren labelling the collaboration a “coalition championship.”
RB’s Ricciardo clocked a remarkable lap time of 1:34.486 on the 60th lap amid the widespread expectation that Singapore was his last race which was nearly half a second faster than the previous record set by Lando Norris, who ultimately won the race.
The achievement not only marked Ricciardo’s first fastest lap since 2021 but also raised eyebrows about potential strategic collaborations within the Red Bull family.
As the race unfolded under the dazzling lights of Marina Bay it became clear that the Aussie’s late-race performance was more than just a personal achievement; it was seen by many as a calculated move that could influence championship standings.
The timing of Ricciardo’s fastest lap was particularly poignant, happening just as rumours intensified about his impending departure from RB in favor of rising star Liam Lawson with his post race speech hinting that Singapore Grand Prix would serve as his farewell.
Ricciardo made the decision to pit for fresh soft tires with only three laps remaining despite languishing in 18th place with no chance of scoring points and proceeded to deny Norris an additional fastest lap point that could prove crucial in the championship battle against Max Verstappen.
Many observers have now questioned whether the late push for Ricciardo’s fastest lap was orchestrated by Red Bull’s sister team as part of a broader strategy to influence championship points.
The Red Bull-RB relationship has long been scrutinized, with critics questioning whether such collaborations are ethical within the competitive framework of Formula 1.
Following the race, McLaren’s team principal Andrea Stella expressed surprise at RB’s decision to prioritize Ricciardo’s fastest lap attempt over their own drivers’ standings.
“I did not see it coming,” Stella said. “I was a little surprised that the highest priority of racing in Singapore was to go and score the fastest lap of the race.
“At the same time I have so much sympathy, support and friendship with Daniel that I’m just happy that he may add this fastest lap to his track record.”
With McLaren pushing for clarity on team affiliations and their implications for competitive integrity, it is clear that this situation could serve as a catalyst for broader regulatory scrutiny.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has previously spoken out about the complexity of two-team ownership in Formula 1, and its pitfalls, and Stella—who had been briefed before his media session—acknowledged the issues, suggesting the Red Bull-RB relationship could be seen as an exploitation of the rules.
“Look, this is a big matter,” he said. “As soon as you invoke the [issue of] sportsmanship, I think you need to approach this with a sense of responsibility that I want to have.
“I don’t know the facts, I just saw that Racing Bulls went for the fastest lap and they achieved it. But for me here to talk about sportsmanship and so on, I think it would be out of place.
“So I think we have to take it at face value, they scored the fastest lap and potentially as part of a longer term conversation we need to put the sport in a position in which at any stage, being it track side or being it factory side, teams behave in a totally autonomous manner because this is a constructors’ championship, a drivers’ championship.
Verstappen himself acknowledged the significance of Ricciardo’s achievement during a cooldown lap radio message, thanking him for boosting his title hopes by depriving Norris of that vital point. This acknowledgment hints at a deeper layer of strategy at play within Red Bull’s operations.
“It’s not a coalition championship,” Stella added. “Therefore this needs to be definitely addressed, but at no point I have elements now to say Racing Bulls (RB) went for the fastest lap to support Red Bull. I just find it a little, how to say, peculiar.”
In response to these unfolding events, VCARB has denied any allegations suggesting the move strategically aimed at benefiting Verstappen at Norris’s expense. They described Ricciardo’s fastest lap as spontaneous and motivated by a desire to finish his race positively amid looming exit.
Team principal Laurent Mekies stated that they wanted to give Ricciardo “the chance to savor it and go out with the fastest lap,” emphasizing that there was no premeditated intent behind this maneuver.
