Ricciardo opens door to one last race with Verstappen

Eight-time Grand Prix winner Daniel Ricciardo could be tempted out of retirement for one last racing adventure, and he already knows who he wants alongside him: his former Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen, at the wheel of a car in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The ever-popular Australian, whose F1 career ended after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, has suggested that the prospect of a one-off appearance at the French endurance classic is enticing.

And Verstappen would be the ideal partner, potentially giving the pair an opportunity to revisit their unfinished business together in F1 in a very different racing environment.

For now, it remains a tantalising possibility rather than a concrete plan. But Ricciardo's comments suggest that, while a return to the demands of a full racing season holds little attraction, the right event and the right company could change everything.

One last outing on his ‘own terms’

Speaking on the most recent F1 Beyond the Grid podcast, Ricciardo explained how his attitude towards racing again has evolved since leaving Formula 1.

Having previously been convinced that his competitive driving days were over, the 36-year-old has begun to entertain the idea of one final chapter – one that would allow him to walk away with a smile.

“A year ago, I would have said I will never put a helmet on again. I’m done. That’s it. But there is something there where I’m like, it’d be nice for me to also finish a racing career a bit more on my terms.

"So to do something that, when I take the helmet off, I’m smiling and happy, and maybe that’s the last bit of closure I need."

Ricciardo has shown no appetite for returning to the relentless travel, pressure and preparation that come with a full championship campaign.

Le Mans, however, offers a different proposition: a standalone challenge, shared with teammates, in one of motorsport's most demanding and prestigious races.

‘Give the people what they want’

Beyond the allure of Le Mans itself, Ricciardo is drawn to the team aspect of endurance racing. Rather than spending a weekend trying to beat his teammate, he would get to work alongside fellow drivers, sharing responsibilities, exchanging data and collaborating towards a common goal.

"To share a car with other drivers and to actually have real team-mates to share data and help out," he continued. "I would just enjoy it. It would be the form of driving and companionship that I would really enjoy."

And when asked to identify his preferred companion for such an adventure, Ricciardo did not need long to come up with an answer.

"I don’t want to put pressure on him, but obviously Max is a name that would be high on the list,” he said.

"We talked about Red Bull obviously in 2018 and ‘what if’, and I was trying to get back at the team at the end of my career. So maybe that’s a way that we could, yeah, I say give the people what they want."

The reference to 2018 recalls the season in which Ricciardo decided to leave Red Bull for Renault, ending his partnership with Verstappen just as the Dutchman was establishing himself as a future championship contender.

Their subsequent careers took very different paths, with Verstappen going on to become a multiple world champion while Ricciardo's F1 journey ultimately came to an end.

• Read also: Norris would love Le Mans shot alongside idol Valentino Ross

A Le Mans reunion would offer a rather different dynamic: no intra-team battle for supremacy, but two former teammates working together in pursuit of a shared prize.

Of course, Ricciardo's enthusiasm is not confirmation that a deal is in the works, or that one is even possible, and Verstappen would have to be on board for the idea to progress.

Yet the ingredients for a compelling story are already there. If the stars align, the prospect of the Australian and the Dutchman tackling the world's most famous endurance race together could prove difficult for either to resist.

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