Ricciardo eyes Le Mans racing with Verstappen as Ford deal faces delay
Daniel Ricciardo seeks a career-ending Le Mans outing alongside Max Verstappen, though a Mercedes-AMG commitment currently prevents Verstappen from joining Ford's Le Mans Hypercar program until 2028 at the earliest.
Ricciardo looks to Le Mans for closure
Ricciardo’s plan to share a car with Max Verstappen at Le Mans is a logical way to finish his career. The Australian driver has not raced since his F1 exit after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, but during an appearance on F1 Beyond the Grid, the eight-time grand prix winner said he would like the chance to end his racing career on his own terms. He said that a year ago he would have said he was done, but he wants to do something where he is "smiling and happy" when he takes the helmet off. Ricciardo said a full season does not appeal to him, but a one-off outing at Le Mans could provide the closure he needs through companionship and sharing data with teammates. He said he would enjoy the form of driving and companionship that comes with having real team-mates. He noted that while he does not want to put pressure on Verstappen, the Dutchman is high on his list. He mentioned they talked about Red Bull in 2018 and how he wanted to get back to the team at the end of his career to "give the people what they want."
Verstappen’s Ford move faces a delay
Ford’s interest in Max Verstappen is clear, but a Mercedes-AMG deal blocks the move until 2028. Verstappen races GT3 cars through Verstappen.com Racing, which has support from Mercedes-AMG. Ford has been a technical partner in Red Bull Ford Powertrains since the new engine regulations arrived in 2026. At the WEC 6 Hours of Spa in May, Rushbrook said Ford had been talking to Verstappen about a Le Mans Hypercar drive for more than three years. Rushbrook said it would be incredible for the sport to have him, but he ruled out 2027 because adding a third Le Mans car in a debut season would be taking on too much. Because the Mercedes commitment for Verstappen.com Racing runs through 2027, any move to Ford cannot happen before 2028 at the earliest. Verstappen recently tested a Mustang GTD at Grand Sambuc. Ford already has a Mustang GT3 and races Hypercars in the World Endurance Championship. Rushbrook said the manufacturer loves Verstappen’s passion and his personality. However, the link between the teams remains loose because the Dutch outlet GP33 reports Ford makes only twelve parts for the RB22. This lack of depth in the partnership comes as Verstappen listed complaints about the Red Bull Ford package at the United States Grand Prix about inconsistent engine braking. I find the tension between his Red Bull Ford complaints and Ford’s interest in him to be the most interesting part of this connection.
