Ricciardo given green light for STUNNING F1 comeback

The Australian has been without a seat since being axed by VCARB in September

Kevin McKenna

Thursday 6 February 2025 21:57 Updated: 14:27

Daniel Ricciardo has been given the green light to make a sensational return to Formula 1, with the results of the latest GPFans poll now confirmed.

The popular Australian won't feature on the grid in 2024, having been left without a seat following his brutal VCARB dismissal midway through the previous campaign.

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After taking some time away from the spotlight in the wake of a disappointing spell at McLaren, Ricciardo was offered a chance to impress at Red Bull's sister team, replacing Nyck de Vries during 2023.

Daniel Ricciardo was dismissed by VCARB midway through the 2024 campaign

The Australian has been linked with a number of racing roles including a spot in NASCAR

Click here to buy the unofficial Danny Ric vintage style racing graphic tee.

Fans have their say on Ricciardo future

He had hoped to earn a coveted seat back at the then reigning champions, having left for Renault back in 2018, but largely failed to live up to expectations alongside team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.

Ricciardo emerged as a shock candidate to step in for the struggling Sergio Perez before the 2024 mid-season break, but that option was ruled out by team boss Christian Horner.

The 35-year-old was unable to pick up performances as the campaign restarted in August, and he was eventually axed by the team in favour of Liam Lawson the following month.

There has been much speculation over where his future lies, with motorsport chiefs across the world eager to secure his signature for their respective series.

Ricciardo himself has yet to confirm his retirement from F1, prompting his name to be linked with a host of potential teams, with a 2026 return appearing to be the most realistic option.

Ricciardo has been strongly linked with one of Cadillac's vacant driver spots

In GPFans' recent poll, we asked readers where they saw Ricciardo being a perfect fit, with Cadillac coming out on top.

The American outfit will be the 11th team on the grid from the start of next season, and have already made major moves behind the scenes as preparations ramp up.

But with their driver lineup still undecided, fans believe Ricciardo is the man for the job.

A staggering 79 per cent chose the 2026 debutants as the top destination, ahead of Audi, who gathered just 10 per cent of the votes.

Aston Martin (6 per cent), Haas (3 per cent) and Alpine (two per cent) completed the list of results.

Max Verstappen Ferrari Daniel Ricciardo Aston Martin VCARB