Daniel Ricciardo should go down as one of the best and most consequential drivers of the past 15 years in Formula 1, even if results of more recent times may not have reflected the talent he had.
The reaction to Ricciardo's departure -- an outpouring of affection for the Australian and considerable frustration at how Red Bull treated one of the sport's favourite characters -- proved he has been one of the few who can say he truly resonated with F1's fanbase.
On a pure performance level, many would happily take the stats Ricciardo walks away with: 257 race starts with five different teams, eight wins...and 32 visits to the podium.
His unlikely win for McLaren at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix was his last appearance on an F1 podium, a reminder of how good Prime Ricciardo was.
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