Supercars ready to welcome Ricciardo with ‘open arms’

With Daniel Ricciardo's career in Formula 1 seemingly done and dusted, Australia’s Supercars Championship is eager to see its massively popular countryman take on a new challenge in its ranks.

The 35-year-old F1 veteran was dropped by Red Bull after a campaign of persistent struggles and replaced by Liam Lawson at Visa Cash App RB for the final six races of the 2024 season.

With no contract secured for next year, Ricciardo is a free agent, although he made clear in the wake of his demise from F1 that he is in no hurry to decide his future.

However, Supercars chief executive Shane Howard would welcome the Aussie with “open arms”, highlighting Ricciardo’s immense popularity and potential impact on the sport in his home country.

“I think everyone would welcome Daniel with open arms, absolutely,” Howard told News Corp, speaking to the excitement that Ricciardo’s involvement would generate.

• Read also: US GP promoter wants Ricciardo in the house, even off the track

The Supercars Championship, an FIA-sanctioned series that races across Australia and New Zealand, sees Ricciardo’s upbeat personality and larger-than-life presence as a perfect fit.

“Would we like to see Daniel Ricciardo in a Supercar? 100 per cent,” Howard emphasized.

“Just imagine if he could be in one of our cars and race in a new street race in Perth, that would be something special, wouldn’t it?”

Having a local hero like Ricciardo compete in front of Australian fans would certainly create an electrifying atmosphere.

“It would be absolutely massive,” added Howard. “He is such an incredible driver and such an incredible personality and people just absolutely love him.”

Howard also floated the idea of Ricciardo competing at one of the sport's crown jewel events, the Bathurst 1000, a race that holds legendary status in Australian motorsport.

“Imagine him racing at Bathurst, wow. That would be very cool indeed,” he said.

Supercars is clearly intent on opening a dialogue with Ricciardo at the right moment. Howard acknowledged that Ricciardo’s management, which includes Blake Friend, a former Supercars employee, would be key to any discussions.

“At an appropriate time, we would reach out to Daniel and his management. Obviously, he has got a lot going on, and we respect that,” he said.

“Blake Friend in his management team used to work for us.

“At the right time, we would reach out, but we would certainly like to have him in one of our cars, 100 per cent we would.”

As Ricciardo weighs his options, Supercars appears ready to give the Australian star a chance to shine Down Under, offering the possibility of a thrilling new chapter in his already illustrious racing career.

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