Daniel Ricciardo confirms F1 retirement as new role announced with Ford

Daniel Ricciardo confirmed "my racing days are behind me" as he announced his retirement from motor racing. The Aussie also confirmed he has taken on a new role with Ford, joining the giant carmaker as a global ambassador for its motorsport arm Ford Racing.

Ricciardo won eight races during a long Formula 1 career which also saw him visit the podium 32 times. He was mooted as a potential World champion but never lived up to that tag and his career trajectory took a turn after he chose to leave Red Bull.

The Australian had unspectacular spells with Renault and McLaren before dropping off the grid. He was picked up again by Red Bull who he joined as a reserve driver and got back onto the grid with junior team Racing Bulls, but failed to do enough to earn a promotion to the top outfit and, last September, was dropped.

Almost a year on from that decision, and one day after teasing a new role with Ford, Ricciardo has confirmed that he does not intend to race again in motorsport. He has joined Ford Racing, having first been introduced to the American company's leadership when the firm joined forces with Red Bull to help with their 2026 F1 engine project.

In a note sent to Ford Racing staff, the Aussie confirmed his new role with the company. The 36-year-old said: "I wanted to write you all a quick note to coincide with some exciting news. While my racing days are behind me, my love for anything with wheels will always remain high.

"I am proud to be partnering with Ford to become a Global Ford Racing Ambassador. 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.

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"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 to peek behind the curtain and see what was happening within your design department. Damn impressive.

"I then visited the team in Cologne later that summer and had a great time meeting employees, watching a live crash test and answering questions in a Town Hall. Throughout all these occasions, Ford and its employee's passion for motorsports was very apparent. But what excites me most is how you all continue to find ways of having fun while innovating.

"Ford has built a proper business around motorsport and is using it to bring new technologies to your road cars. And nothing brings that to life better than the beloved, Raptor. I couldn't be more excited for all the amazing drives ahead with Ford and for all the incredible projects Ford Racing has in its pipeline. From F1, to Dakar and from Le Mans to Bathurst, few companies have been at this for as long as you guys have."