Max Verstappen Jokes About Ricciardo’s Le Mans Ambition After Being Named in Dream Trio

Max Verstappen has a quick answer to Daniel Ricciardo’s wish to share a Le Mans car with him: good choice. The four-time F1 world champion shared his reaction on Thursday at the Mexico City GP media day, days after Ricciardo named him first on his wish list for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Verstappen joked, “He’s a smart man to choose me in the car.” The joke came with a catch, though. The Red Bull driver says he can’t give a Le Mans project the time it needs right now.

Ricciardo, 37, hasn’t raced since he left F1 after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix. He told the F1 Beyond the Grid podcast that Verstappen is “a name that would be high on the list.”

Ricciardo Warms Up to the Idea of Racing Again

Ricciardo said he spent two years feeling bitter about how his F1 career ended and kept his distance from the sport. A trip to this year’s Indianapolis 500 shifted something, he explained, because it reminded him how much he loved competing. He wants to finish his racing life on his own terms, smiling when the helmet comes off.

A full championship still doesn’t excite him. A one-off at Le Mans might. Ricciardo, who now works as a Ford Racing ambassador, also named Sebastian Vettel as a third driver on his dream team. He called that mix a small Red Bull reunion, and he figures fans would love to see it.

Ricciardo and Verstappen shared a Red Bull garage from 2016 through 2018. That history explains why the pitch sounds more like a reunion than a business plan.

Max Verstappen Wants Le Mans Done Right

The idea isn’t new to Verstappen. He said the pair have already talked about it, and he doesn’t think either of them needs to share everything in public. He agreed with Ricciardo that a full season doesn’t suit him, but a one-off might.

Making time is the real challenge for the Dutchman. “I don’t have the free time to dedicate to a Le Mans project,” Verstappen said, pointing to his work outside F1. The Red Bull driver wants solid preparation and a real shot at winning against crews that race all year, so the pair must find the right timing.

Verstappen’s endurance resume keeps growing. A mechanical failure denied his team victory on his Nürburgring 24 Hours debut in May 2026. On October 17, he charged from 24th to ninth at the GT World Challenge Europe finale in Portimao.

Fernando Alonso has been part of this chat for a while too. Verstappen said earlier, “I’ve been speaking to Fernando about it.” The wish list now has a few big names and no start date.

For now, the Le Mans trio stays a conversation. Verstappen has Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix to worry about first.

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