Ricciardo opens the door to a one-off Le Mans with Verstappen, who calls him 'a smart man'

A comeback idea, with conditions

Daniel Ricciardo has not raced since the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix and confirmed his retirement from motor racing in September 2025. This week he softened that stance. On F1's Beyond the Grid podcast he said a one-off outing at the Le Mans 24 Hours would appeal to him, according to Crash.net and Autosport.

A full championship does not tempt him, he said, but sharing a car with team-mates is something Formula 1 never offered. He described it as possibly "the last bit of closure" he needs, and said he is wary of returning for ego or for the fans.

The dream team-mate

Asked whom he would pick, Ricciardo named Max Verstappen, adding that he did not want to put pressure on him. The two were Red Bull team-mates from 2016 to 2018, and Ricciardo linked the idea to the unfinished business of 2018, saying a reunion could "give the people what they want".

Verstappen answered the question in Mexico City on Thursday. "He's a smart man to choose me in the car," he said, according to Crash.net. He said the two had already spoken about it and that any Le Mans project must be properly prepared and aimed at winning, something he currently lacks the time for alongside his other commitments.

Background and numbers

Crash.net notes that Verstappen has said he would like to race at Le Mans one day but has ruled it out for 2027, planning GT races at the Nürburgring and Spa instead. Verstappen has also discussed a Le Mans entry with Fernando Alonso, and Sebastian Vettel has joked about a Red Bull "superteam".

Their time as team-mates produced three wins each. Ricciardo outscored Verstappen over those two seasons, 457 points to 377, and won eight grands prix in total. For Verstappen the weekend is about the present: in Austin he finished third, and he is fourth in the standings on 236 points. Nothing about the idea is planned yet.