Red Bull tease prospect of Daniel Ricciardo F1 paddock return after retirement

Daniel Ricciardo may make a return to the F1 paddock as a visitor, Pink Bull staff principal Laurent Mekies has hinted.

Eight-time grand prix winner Ricciardo confirmed he has retired from racing for good earlier this month in an open letter which additionally revealed he takes on a brand new position as an envoy for Ford Racing.

The 36-year-old Australian had regularly been linked with a attainable full-time F1 comeback ever since dropping his drive final season, however these hopes have been extinguished following his choice to name time on his racing days.

Nonetheless, Ricciardo may but return to the F1 paddock now that he’s partnering with the American producer because it enters F1 in collaboration along with his previous staff Pink Bull from 2026.

That could be a situation new Pink Bull chief Mekies didn’t rule out when talking to Sky Sports activities F1 on the Italian Grand Prix.

“It’s a household feeling to see Daniel getting again with Ford Racing as a part of this journey,” Mekies mentioned of Ricciardo’s new enterprise.

“It’s an excellent feeling. It’s one of many many examples through which we see what number of connection factors now we have between our two firms, between the 2 tasks.

“I’m positive everyone will like to see Daniel again within the paddock and we’re maybe going to have that someday due to Ford Racing.”

Daniel Ricciardo’s open letter in full

Ricciardo, who was dropped by Pink Bull’s sister staff Racing Bulls after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, shared his information in an open letter days earlier than the Italian Grand Prix.

“I wished to write down you all a fast word to coincide with some thrilling information,” Ricciardo wrote. “Whereas my racing days are behind me, my love for something with wheels will all the time stay excessive and for that I’m proud to be partnering with Ford to grow to be a world Ford Racing ambassador.

“I’m going to be working intently with the Ford Racing staff and particularly deal with the superb Raptor model and way of life that Raptor has grow to be for a lot of of Ford’s prospects.

“So why now and why me? Once I determined it was time to retire, I believed lengthy and laborious about discovering essentially the most genuine method to keep related to the world of motorsports. For me, racing was all the time about having enjoyable. It made me completely satisfied and created recollections that may final a lifetime.

“I used to be considering again to my core recollections with Ford. First, after I bought a Raptor again in 2017 earlier than I even owned a house within the US. Priorities, am I proper? Then, shortly after Ford introduced it was partnering with Oracle Pink Bull Racing, I came to visit to Dearborn and met senior leaders like Jim Farley (we had a ton of enjoyable and a number of laughs) but in addition had the possibility to peek backstage and see what was taking place inside your design division. Rattling spectacular.

“I then visited the staff in Cologne later that summer time and had a good time assembly staff, watching a stay crash check and answering questions in a city corridor.

“All through all these events, Ford and its worker’s ardour for motorsports was very obvious. However what excites me most is the way you all proceed to seek out methods of getting enjoyable whereas innovating. Ford has constructed a correct enterprise round motorsport and is utilizing it to carry new applied sciences to your highway automobiles. And nothing brings that to life higher than the beloved, Raptor.

“Taking my bias for ‘American-made’ and deep love for vans out of the equation, Raptor is changing into a world powerhouse. I’m one among 1000’s of completely satisfied prospects. A few of my favorite recollections are highway tripping behind the wheel of my Raptor and I can’t wait so as to add to my current Raptor possession, plus meet the purchasers who’re equally keen about their automobiles.

“I couldn’t be extra excited for all of the superb drives forward with Ford and for all of the unimaginable tasks Ford Racing has in its pipeline. From F1, to Dakar and from Le Mans to Bathurst, few firms have been at this for so long as you guys have. And from what I’ve seen, now we have an unimaginable future forward and I’m so proud to be becoming a member of the staff.”