Daniel Ricciardo Reveals Max Verstappen as His Preferred Teammate for Potential Le Mans Entry
Daniel Ricciardo has expressed interest in a potential return to racing. The former F1 driver revealed that he would consider a one-off appearance at Le Mans and would love to share a seat with former Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen.
The Australian is not interested in full-time competition, but he showed interest in a one-off return in endurance racing, particularly because of the opportunity to work alongside fellow drivers rather than compete against them.
“To share a car with other drivers and to actually have real teammates to share data and help out,” Ricciardo told F1 Beyond The Grid Podcast. “I would just enjoy it. It would be the form of driving and companionship that I would really enjoy.”
When asked about his preferred teammate for a potential Le Mans outing, Ricciardo named Verstappen, with whom he paired up at Red Bull between 2016 and 2018.
“I don’t want to put pressure on him, but obviously Max is a name that would be high on the list,” the 37-year-old said.
“We talked about Red Bull obviously in 2018 and ‘what if’, and I was trying to get back at the team at the end of my career. So maybe that’s a way that we could, yeah, I say give the people what they want.”
During their three seasons as teammates, they combined for 14 GP victories and delivered some memorable wheel-to-wheel battles.
Daniel Ricciardo Wants to End his Racing Career on his Own Terms
Ricciardo, who was dropped mid-season after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix by the Racing Bulls team, said that he would like to conclude his racing career on his own terms. The Australian previously indicated that he had no intention of returning to racing again, but his perspective has since changed.
“A year ago, I would have said I will never put a helmet on again,” Ricciardo said. “I’m done. That’s it. But there is something there where I’m like, it’d be nice for me to also finish a racing career a bit more on my terms.
“So to do something that, when I take the helmet off, I’m smiling and happy, and maybe that’s the last bit of closure I need.”
From F1 Driver to Global Ambassador for Ford Racing
Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 career ended after the Singapore Grand Prix, where he was replaced by Liam Lawson for the remainder of the 2024 season. He raced over 14 seasons, made 257 appearances, and scored 8 Grand Prix wins and 32 podiums. He competed for teams like HRT, Red Bull Racing Renault McLaren, and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls.
The 37-year-old formally stepped away from racing completely in September 2025 to become a global ambassador for Ford Racing. Whether the Aussie driver gets his wish to drive alongside Max Verstappen remains to be seen. But with the Dutchman also interested in competing in Endurance events, it remains a possibility that the two might race on the same team once again.
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