EMBARGOED Daniel Ricciardo in Ford Ambassador announcement with Ford Raptor- Credit: Ford Content Center — Photo: © Credit: Ford Content Pool

Formula 1

Daniel Ricciardo confirms retirement from racing in Ford announcement

Daniel Ricciardo previously teased an announcement with Ford

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Friday 5 September 2025 20:00 Updated: 21:55

Long-time F1 star Daniel Ricciardo has confirmed his retirement from racing, in a statement unveiling a new role with Ford.

Fans of the popular Australian had held out hope that he could return to F1 with Cadillac, or perhaps race back home in Australian's Supercars series, but he has firmly laid those hopes to bed.

Though Ricciardo won't be returning to a grid anytime soon, the 36-year-old has confirmed that he has signed the dotted line on a new role as Global Ford Racing Ambassador.

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In an open letter included in Ford's announcement, the ex-Red Bull star wrote: "To all the Ford team members around the world, hey! I hope you’ve all had a great summer (or winter for us Aussies) and are excited for the rest of 2025.

Ricciardo looking forward to 'amazing' Ford drives

"I am going to be working closely with the Ford Racing team and specifically focus on the amazing Raptor brand and lifestyle that Raptor has become for many of Ford's customers."

Ricciardo is himself a Ford customer, often speaking openly about his love for the vehicle which he has had the pleasure of owning, addressing his connection to the brand and his fond experiences meeting employees and brand reps in the announcement.

"So why now and why me? When I decided it was time to retire, I thought long and hard 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 peak behind the curtain and see what was happening within your design department. Damn impressive."

Red Bull Daniel Ricciardo Formula 1