News Summary
- Daniel Ricciardo says he would consider a one-off return to competition at the 24 Hours of Le Mans after leaving Formula 1 in 2024.
- The eight-time Grand Prix winner named Max Verstappen as a preferred teammate and explained why endurance racing appeals to him.
- Ricciardo wants to finish his career on his own terms, but no Le Mans entry, manufacturer agreement or comeback date has been confirmed.
Daniel Ricciardo has opened the door to returning to competitive motorsport at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, admitting that sharing a car with former Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen could offer the kind of experience he wants before drawing a final line under his racing career.
The Australian has not competed since leaving Formula 1 after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix. For much of the following two years, he remained convinced that his time as a professional driver was over. However, speaking on the official Beyond The Grid podcast, released on Wednesday (October 28), Ricciardo acknowledged that his attitude towards racing has gradually changed.
Ricciardo wants to finish racing on his own terms
Ricciardo’s departure from F1 came when Racing Bulls replaced him with Liam Lawson before the final stages of the 2024 season. The Australian subsequently struggled with the circumstances surrounding his exit, describing feelings of humiliation, sadness and failure.
In a separate interview with GRANDE PRÊMIO English, Ricciardo explained how he eventually developed a healthier perspective on his achievements after leaving the championship.
The possibility of returning for one final race now holds greater appeal than it did a year ago.
“A year ago I would have said I will never put a helmet on again. I’m done. That’s it,” Ricciardo said.
He explained that another competitive appearance could allow him to close his career under different circumstances, rather than remembering his final F1 weekend as an unhappy ending.
The eight-time Grand Prix winner stressed that any comeback would need to happen for the right reasons. He is not interested in returning simply to create a sentimental final chapter.
Why Le Mans appeals more than another racing championship
Ricciardo made clear that returning to a full season of racing does not particularly excite him. A one-off endurance event, however, offers something different from the intensely individual competition he experienced throughout his Formula 1 career.
In F1, drivers work for the same team but compete directly against their teammates, making internal comparisons an unavoidable part of every race weekend.
Endurance racing instead requires several drivers to share a car, exchange information and cooperate towards the same result.
Ricciardo explained that this aspect of competition is especially attractive now that the relentless ambition he once associated with his F1 career has diminished.
“I think to share a car with other drivers and to actually have real teammates to share data with and help out,” he said.
He believes that experience could restore some of the enjoyment he felt earlier in his racing career.
Le Mans represents a particularly appealing challenge because of its prestige, history and unique combination of speed, endurance and teamwork.
Ricciardo names Verstappen as ideal Le Mans teammate
Asked which driver he would like to share a car with, Ricciardo identified Verstappen, his former teammate at Red Bull.
“I don’t want to put pressure on him, but obviously Max is a name that would be high on the list,” he said.
The Australian referenced their years together at Red Bull, including his decision to leave the team for Renault at the end of 2018 and his subsequent attempts to return to the organisation.
Ricciardo suggested that competing alongside Verstappen at Le Mans could offer a different way of revisiting a partnership that once produced one of Formula 1’s most recognisable driver pairings.
Verstappen has increasingly explored endurance racing outside his Formula 1 commitments, including participation in GT events through his wider racing activities.
However, Ricciardo’s comments remain an expression of personal interest. There is no confirmed agreement between the drivers, no announced manufacturer programme involving both, and no established date for a shared appearance at Le Mans.
Ford connection could offer an endurance opportunity
Ricciardo’s existing relationship with Ford provides a potential connection to endurance racing.
The Australian has maintained ties with the manufacturer after leaving Formula 1, while Ford is preparing its return to the top category of the World Endurance Championship in 2027.
Nevertheless, the existence of those relationships does not establish that Ricciardo is being considered for a factory race seat or that Verstappen would join the same programme.
Any such appearance would require agreements with a team and manufacturer, as well as a compatible competition schedule.
For now, Ricciardo is interested in the possibility of returning to racing in a format built around cooperation rather than the demands of another full-time championship campaign.
Le Mans could provide the ending Ricciardo wants
Ricciardo’s interest in competing again reflects a broader change in his relationship with motorsport following his difficult departure from F1.
The Australian has spoken openly about how much the abrupt ending affected him and how his perspective changed after spending time away from the paddock.
Attending the Indianapolis 500 in 2026 also helped him rediscover some of the enjoyment of watching motorsport without the pressure of being a competitor.
A Le Mans appearance would therefore be about more than the possibility of driving alongside Verstappen. It would offer Ricciardo an opportunity to experience racing again under circumstances he chooses for himself.
Whether that possibility eventually becomes a confirmed entry remains uncertain.
