Verstappen answers Ricciardo's Le Mans comeback plan: 'He's a smart man to choose me'

Ricciardo raised the idea on Wednesday on Formula 1's Beyond the Grid podcast. It was the first time he had said publicly that he wants to race again since his F1 career ended after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix. On Thursday, at media day for the Mexico City Grand Prix, reporters put the idea to Verstappen.

"He's a smart man to choose me in the car," Verstappen said. He then told reporters the suggestion was "not new to me", because he and Ricciardo had already spoken about it. The idea came up between them before Ricciardo's podcast appearance.

He was less playful about what a real entry would need. He wants a serious programme, not a one-off appearance for show, and his current schedule leaves no room for one.

He also said what level he would be aiming for: "If we do something like that, it needs to be proper. It needs to be for a chance to win." He added: "To have a chance to win against people who do it the whole season, you need to be prepared really well."

Ricciardo, who now works as a Ford Racing ambassador, said a full return still does not interest him. "The thought of doing a full championship still doesn't really sound that exciting. Probably a one-off, like a one-off Le Mans," he said. Part of what draws him to the idea is sharing a car with teammates instead of racing against them.

Asked who he would want in the car, he named Verstappen first: "I don't want to put pressure on him, but obviously Max is a name that would be high on the list." When he was told that Sebastian Vettel, his teammate in 2014, has been testing Porsche's Hypercar, Ricciardo liked the idea of a "nice little Red Bull reunion". Ricciardo and Verstappen were teammates at Red Bull from 2016 to 2018. Ricciardo said a shared Le Mans entry could "give the people what they want" after the two went separate ways at the end of 2018.

Verstappen has said before that he wants to race at Le Mans one day. This year he fitted GT racing around his F1 schedule, racing at the Nürburgring 24 Hours and at the GT World Challenge finale in Portimão, where his team finished ninth. Crash.net notes that he has already ruled out racing at Le Mans in 2027.

Ricciardo's Ford role makes the story more interesting. Ford Racing global director Mark Rushbrook recently told De Telegraaf that Verstappen is firmly on the manufacturer's radar, as GPblog reported in Ford names Verstappen as a target for its GT and Le Mans Hypercar plans despite Mercedes deal. Verstappen.com Racing is committed to Mercedes-AMG for 2027, so a switch to Ford could not happen before 2028. Rushbrook has also ruled out 2027, Ford's first season in the Hypercar class. For now, no Le Mans entry, manufacturer deal or comeback date has been confirmed for Ricciardo.