Daniel Ricciardo has officially confirmed that he has retired from racing after being named the global Ford Racing Ambassador.
The 36-year-old Australian last raced 12 months ago, and his final start in Formula 1 came for the Race Bulls at the Singapore Grand Prix. He was dropped in his advantage after that race by Liam Lawson and did not enjoy his move to another team. He had previously been looking to get the chance to rejoin Red Bull.
Ricardo has escaped the spotlight since his final race, excluded it being considered for the Cadillac F1 seat in 2026, but as part of his newly announced role at Ford Race – a new name for Ford Performance confirmed that he is not racing in any other categories in the future.
“My race day is behind me, but my love with the wheels remains high at all times, and I’m proud to partner with Ford to become a global Ford race ambassador,” wrote Ricardo. “I will work closely with the Ford Racing team and focus on the Raptor brand and lifestyle, which is particularly amazing for many Ford customers.
“So now, why, why? When I decided it was time to retire, I thought I was long and hard at finding the most authentic way to stay connected to the world of motorsports. For me, racing was always something to enjoy.
Ricardo retired from the race with 257 Grand Prix wins and 32 podium records in his career, including stints at HRT, Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Renault and McLaren.
Ricciardo finished twice in the top three of the driver’s championship, winning the dominant third place for Mercedes drivers while at Red Bull in 2014 and 2016. His final victory came to McLaren at Monza four years ago.