Daniel Ricciardo is back in F1 after retirement with Ford!
Daniel Ricciardo is back in F1 with Ford. Which means he’s technically returning to his old stomping ground, Red Bull. As the American motor company will be working with Red Bull as its factory team in 2026. But what role will he play, and why did they hire him? That’s what I found out!
Daniel Ricciardo’s Role at Ford
The fan favorite Australian Daniel Ricciardo retired from F1 after being fired by his team, Visa Cash App RB, following the Singapore GP. One race away from racing in the country where Ford is based. Now he’s become Ford’s Global Racing Ambassador, which does indeed confirm the honey badger’s retirement from racing full-time. He ran in F1 for 14 seasons, starting from the bottom with HRT and almost reaching the top with Red Bull.
He finished 3rd in the standings twice, earning eight memorable wins along with 32 podiums and 17 fastest laps. But while this does close the door on an F1 return, it does open the door for cameos in other series, though. Daniel Ricciardo has always been outspoken about his love of NASCAR, even choosing the number 3 for himself as a tribute to NASCAR’s most incredible ever and most important driver, Dale Earnhardt Sr. He even drove one of his old cars at COTA a while back.
He was rumored to link up with Project 91, which might not be possible now since Trackhouse is Chevy, but Ford does have a significant presence in NASCAR, of course. So he could step into a race at any of the three series with Ford, even with a top team with RFK or Penske. Or RWR, like fellow ex-F1 driver Jenson Button. Although Xfinity could be trickery now that Haas has left.
That’s not all, as Ford also has a presence in IMSA’s GTD Pro class with the Canadian-based Multimatic Motorsports. Giving him the chance to do what other great racers, such as Fernando Alonso, Jimmie Johnson, and Alexander Rossi, have tried. And race in the 24 Hours of Daytona and win the GTD Pro class event.
It doesn’t only open doors for Daniel Ricciardo in America but also in his own backyard, Australia! As Ford has a significant presence in V8 Supercars, giving him the chance to be a co-driver in the prestigious Bathurst 1000, to do a one-off like Austin Cindric did this year, or even to do a part-time stint like ex-F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve did in 2010 and 2012.
Daniel Ricciardo and Red Bull reunited again!
This also most likely means another reunion with Daniel Ricciardo and the team that gave him his F1 opportunity, and where he accomplished most of his success in F1, Red Bull. In 2026, the energy drink manufacturer/F1 team/lifestyle brand/TV network/owner of multiple soccer teams across numerous continents. Okay, a lot of things, but we don’t want to be here all day, so let’s move on now. They will be moving on from their own powertrains (rebadged Honda engines) to working with Ford and the engines they’re developing.
While Daniel Ricciardo won’t be driving a Red Bull car in F1 anytime soon, this does open up opportunities for the team to do many things. No doubt he’ll appear with the Red Bull race team on race days to sign merch and hang around the paddock. Here are some of Daniel Ricciardo’s thoughts on the partnership:
“So why now and why me? When I decided it was time to retire, I thought carefully about finding the most authentic way to stay connected to the world of motorsports. For me, racing was always about having fun. It made me happy and created memories that will last a lifetime. I was thinking back to my core memories with Ford.
First, when I purchased a Raptor back in 2017, before I even owned a home in the US. Priorities, am I right? Then, shortly after Ford announced it was partnering with Oracle Red Bull Racing, I came over to Dearborn and met senior leaders like Jim Farley (we had a ton of fun and a lot of laughs), but also had the chance to peek behind the curtain and see what was happening within your design department. Damn impressive.”
“I then visited the team in Cologne later that summer and had a great time meeting employees, watching a live crash test, and answering questions in a town hall. Throughout all these occasions, Ford and its employees’ passion for motorsports was very apparent. But what excites me most is how you all continue to find ways of having fun while innovating.”
“Ford has built a proper business around motorsport and is using it to bring new technologies to your road cars. And nothing brings that to life better than the beloved Raptor. I couldn’t be more excited for all the amazing drives ahead with Ford and for all the incredible projects Ford Racing has in its pipeline. From F1 to Dakar and from Le Mans to Bathurst, few companies have been at this for as long as you guys have.” Thanks a bunch for reading!
