With Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel? Ricciardo wants to go to Le Mans

Daniel Ricciardo is drawn back to motorsport – the former F1 driver wants to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and dreams of having strong team-mates

Two years after his quiet departure from Formula 1, Daniel Ricciardo may well be drawn back into the racing cockpit after all. Whilst the eight-time Grand Prix winner rules out a comeback in a full racing series, a one-off guest appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans would hold great appeal for the Australian – especially if he could share the car with old acquaintances.

“A year ago, I would have said: ‘I’ll never put a helmet on again, I’m done.’ But there’s something inside me that says: it would be nice to end my racing career a bit more on my own terms,” Ricciardo reveals on the Beyond The Grid podcast.

“A whole championship still doesn’t sound particularly exciting. But probably a single race – like a one-off appearance at Le Mans.”

For Ricciardo, the team spirit – which is often neglected in Formula 1 – is paramount: “Formula 1 is very self-centred, which is also necessary. You do have a team-mate, but they’re your primary rival. Sharing a car with other drivers, having proper team-mates, exchanging data and helping one another – I’d really enjoy that.”

A dream team with Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel?

The scenario becomes particularly appealing when the question of potential team-mates arises. The focus is primarily on a former Red Bull team-mate: Max Verstappen. The four-time world champion has repeatedly emphasised in the past that he wants to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans after his F1 career.

” “I don’t want to put any pressure on him, but Max is, of course, right at the top of the list,” explains Ricciardo with a smile. “We talked a lot at Red Bull in 2018 about ‘what if’. I tried to return to the team at the end of my career – so perhaps this is a way to give the fans what they want.”

When presenter Tom Clarkson suggests on the podcast that Sebastian Vettel could join as the third driver – the four-time world champion had already tested the Porsche Hypercar in 2024 – Ricciardo reacts enthusiastically: “There’s no doubt that Seb is still extremely fast. I just love Seb; that would be a brilliant little Red Bull reunion.”

The inner hurdle: only with 100 per cent commitment

Despite his fascination with the endurance highlight at La Sarthe, Ricciardo remains cautious. He says he doesn’t want to make the decision for ego-driven reasons or for the sake of a contrived fairy-tale ending, but only if his motivation is 100 per cent right.

“The tough question is: would I go to Le Mans just to be there and enjoy the experience, or to win?”, the 37-year-old points out.

“As much as I’d like to say ‘just enjoy it’, we all know that as soon as the helmet goes on, it’s different. I can’t deny that I’d want to give it my all. And that’s something I need to figure out for myself first: is my heart really still in it that much?”