Daniel Ricciardo bids farewell to motor racing

Daniel Ricciardo has bid farewell to motor racing after accepting a new role as ambassador for Ford's racing division, international media reported on Friday.

Ricciardo, 36, was struggling with his racing career as he was dropped by Racing Bulls last October when he failed to impress and regain a place at Red Bull. He was also left out by McLaren at the end of the 2022 campaign.

The Australian was an eight-time F1 race winner and was a star of the first season of the smash hit Netflix series 'Drive to Survive. With 12 months out of action, his retirement was obvious, and Ricciardo has now confirmed it.

"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," he wrote.

"I am going to be working closely with the Ford Racing team and specifically focus on the amazing Raptor brand and lifestyle that Raptor has become for many of Ford's customers.

"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."

According to reports, Ricciardo has been offered by teams in IndyCar and NASCAR since his F1 departure following the Singapore Grand Prix last year.

Ford has also been associated with his former team, Red Bull and is helping their new F1 engine department, which will contribute to the engines it uses in 2026 and beyond.