Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Red Bull Racing waves to the crowd from parc ferme during the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix. photo / Getty
Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Red Bull Racing waves to the crowd from parc ferme during the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix. photo / Getty
Daniel Ricciardo's final race with Red Bull was a fair representation of his time with the team β close but no cigar.
The Australian signed off from the team with the unique sense of humour he's become renowned for, despite another frustrating finish.
Ricciardo again just missed the podium byone place despite leading the race for 15 laps.
It's been a frustrating final season with Red Bull for Ricciardo with eight retirements in 20 races relegating him to sixth in the drivers championship.
In his five years with Red Bull Racing, Ricciardo twice finished third overall but missed the podium at the end of the season the other three times.
Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Red Bull Racing walks into the garage before his final F1 race for Red Bull Racing. photo / Getty
Dreaming of a podium finish to close out his time with Red Bull, a frustrated Ricciardo said he felt "helpless" in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
But the larrikin signed off with a trademark quip, as Red Bull engineer Simon Rennie radioed him and thanked him for his five years of service.
Ricciardo and Rennie have a special relationship and the Aussie singled out his engineer in his final blog for Red Bull before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last week.
"Simon and I couldn't be more different out of the car, our personalities are really as contrasting as you could get, but we've had this fantastic relationship where he understands me and we never second-guess one another," Ricciardo wrote.
"I always felt he knew what I wanted or what I meant, and I always trusted him to make the right calls. I never questioned him.
"He feeds off the battles with me, if I say something on the radio that's hungry, he's right with me. He's someone I'm going to miss going into battle with on Sundays."
Ricciardo was in the lead early but dropped from first to fifth when he had to pit on lap 34 of the 55-lap race.
He overtook Valtteri Bottas but couldn't chase down world champ Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen for a spot on the podium.
"Obviously I can't be ecstatic with fourth to be honest," Ricciardo said after the race.
"It wasn't the most exciting race β a little bit that was fun (when leading the race), but it just put me out of reach then with the leaders.
"I don't think anyone thought (the tyres would last to the end). Lewis pitted really early and (probably) didn't think he would last so strongly to the end."
Finding himself stuck behind Verstappen with laps running out, the 29-year-old said he "felt kind of helpless at the end there".
Grand Prix Formula One Abu Dhabi 2018. Photo / Photosport
"I couldn't really do too much. The pace advantage originally was strong but that fell away quite quickly. We probably weren't quick enough," Ricciardo said.
"I was a bit lonely on the last few laps. I couldn't do much more. Obviously third and fourth was great for the team, it's solid.
"We close this chapter now. Thanks to Red Bull, I would have loved to drink out of my shoe, but who knows? There are still a few hours to go yet."
Ricciardo will be hoping for a change of fortunes when joining Renault next season.
After trading barbs following his defection to Renault next season, Red Bull boss Christian Horner struck a fond tone in farewelling Ricciardo.
"Great drive today, it's been an absolute pleasure having you in our team for the last five seasons," Horner said.
"Seven victories, all the podiums, all the high moments. We're going to miss you and I wish you all the very best for the future. I'm very fond of all the memories we have together. Enjoy this slow down lap."
Following the race, Horner reiterated his sadness at Ricciardo's departure, calling the Ricciardo-Verstappen pairing one of, if not the best on the grid.
"He's been great," said Horner. "We've seen him grow from when he first arrived in Europe as a 16-year-old, and his progression through the junior team, through Toro Rosso, into Red Bull Racing, 100 races with us, seven victories.
"He's such a big character as well. We'll miss him, we wish him all the very best for the future but it's been a blast having him in the team."
With his final race for Red Bull over, Ricciardo said he had a few days left with the team before starting to get to know his new team.
"Next week, I'll close everything off with Red Bull, be a few days in the factory, and I imagine the following week, start to initially know a few people at Renault," he said.
"Then after that, go home, go to Australia, switch off for a bit.
"It's been a long season, so looking forward to going home and just talking to the sheep and the cows on the farm and not doing a whole lot for the first few days. They get me."
Horner and Red Bull had one more parting shot at Ricciardo's new team, not releasing the Aussie to join Renault for the Pirelli tyre test in Abu Dhabi next week.
Earlier Ricciardo's new Renault teammate Nico Hulkenberg crashed out after flipping on the opening lap following contact with Haas' Romain Grosjean Ricciardo.
Hamilton's 11th win of the season saw him finish 88 points clear of Vettel in the driver standings with Ricciardo in sixth.
Mercedes also claimed the Constructor's championship ahead of Ferrari with Red Bull in third.
