Daniel Ricciardo opens door to racing return with Max Verstappen reunion

Daniel Ricciardo has suggested he would be open to the possibility of reuniting with Max Verstappen with an entry at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Ricciardo has not raced since he exited the F1 grid following the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.

The Australian has spent much of the time out of the public view and involving himself in activities he did not have time for while navigating the F1 schedule.

During his time in F1, he spent three seasons alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull before departing the squad at the end of 2018.

Although Ricciardo suggested his full-time racing days are over, he hinted that he could be tempted by an entry that doesn't require year-round commitment.

"The thought of just doing a full championship or something still doesn't really sound that exciting," Ricciardo told the Beyond the Grid podcast.

"Probably a one-off like Le Mans. Maybe there's one of those scenarios that could perk me up.

"To take the helmet off and have a better view of racing than what I had after Singapore and all that, that would probably be a nicer form of closure."

When asked to name his dream line-up for Le Mans, Ricciardo added: "I don't want to put pressure on him, but obviously Max is a name that would be high on the list.

"We'll see. If it's right and things align, and it feels right and I'm there for the right reasons, maybe I won't say never."

It was then put to Ricciardo that he could reunite with another former team-mate in Sebastian Vettel in a Le Mans line-up, to which the Australian replied: "Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit. That'd be cool."

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Ricciardo keen to avoid 'ego' decision over Le Mans

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the most prestigious events in motorsport, and currently forms part of the World Endurance Championship.

Verstappen himself has voiced a desire to take part in the race in the future, having already started to dip his toes into endurance competition with outings at the Nurburgring and Portimao.

While Ricciardo feels the temptation to also get involved, he asserted that he will only do so if it feels it is a right fit.

"Do I need to open the box again? That's why I haven't rushed into making a decision on anything," he said.

"Again, I want to make sure I'm not doing it for ego or for some fairy tale ending, it has to be because it's right inside me, and I really want to do it, it's not to please others.

"There is a part of me which would love to do it for all the people that cared and supported and loved me over the years, and also hated the way it ended.

"Would I go to Le Mans just to go and compete, and just be happy to be there, or would I go there to try and win?

"As much as I want to say, 'oh, just be happy soaking in the experience'.

"Once the helmet is on, it's different. I won't hold everything to it; if I did it, it wouldn't change the way I feel.

"The result wouldn't dictate how things happen moving forward. But I can't deny that I would want to go and do it properly, and that's maybe something I need to understand as well.

"'Is my heart in it, am I doing it for the right reasons?' And also, if you share a car with others, you don't want to let them down either."