Daniel Ricciardo has announced his official retirement from motorsport, following a statement confirming that he has joined Ford Racing as a global ambassador.
Ricciardo’s last motorsport appearance was the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, the final F1 race he entered before being replaced by Liam Lawson.
The Australian has taken almost a year since then to confirm that his “racing days are behind” him, but will remain linked to motorsport.
Ford revealed on Thursday that it’s motorsport division had been remained Ford Racing, with Ricciardo having jumped onboard with the American manufacturer.
Ricciardo took to social media on Thursday to hint at a potential collaboration with Ford, before an official announcement was made on Friday.
In a statement issued by Ford, Ricciardo said: “To all the Ford team members around the world, hey! I hope you’ve all had a great summer (or winter for us Aussies) and are excited for the rest of 2025.
“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 and for that I am proud to be partnering with Ford to become a Global Ford Racing Ambassador.
“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] peak [sic] 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 employees’ 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.
“Taking my bias for ‘American-made’ and deep love for trucks out of the equation, Raptor is becoming a global powerhouse.
“I’m one of thousands of happy customers. Some of my favourite memories are road tripping behind the wheel of my Raptor and I can’t wait to add to my existing Raptor ownership, plus meet the customers who are equally passionate about their vehicles.
“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.
“And from what I have seen, we have an incredible future ahead and I am so proud to be joining the team. So, here’s to the fun, the laughs and memories that lie ahead.
“Daniel”