Christian Horner reflected on Daniel Ricciardo’s F1 tenure ahead of the 2026 F1 season, set to begin in less than a month. Ricciardo’s final F1 race came at the 2024 Singapore GP, where he signed off with the fastest lap in an emotional farewell.
The Australian’s exit came during a turbulent period that saw him lose his Racing Bulls seat to Liam Lawson before stepping away from full-time competition.
Horner looked back at the driver he promoted to Red Bull in 2014 and admitted that the team never fully matched Ricciardo’s peak years with the right machinery.
“Daniel’s just a great guy,” he said (via Motorsports Week). “He lights up a room when he walks in it. He’s got a big personality, a big heart. Very sensitive guy. I just clicked him. He was a wonderful driver. Unfortunately, the car at the time where he was at his peak, we didn’t have the most competitive car on the grid. I think if we had, he could have been a world champion. A great guy, and I think the sport misses Daniel.”
Daniel Ricciardo won seven of his eight F1 races with Red Bull between 2014 and 2018 before moving to Renault and later McLaren. His final win came at Monza in 2021. After losing his McLaren seat, he returned to the Red Bull system with AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls), but did not complete the 2024 season.
Since stepping away, Ricciardo has remained active in a limited ambassadorial role with Ford and Red Bull’s new engine partnership. He has appeared at promotional events and off-road races, including rally events. Christian Horner, meanwhile, has been linked with a possible return to F1 in an ownership capacity.
Daniel Ricciardo reunites with Max Verstappen during Red Bull-Ford launch
Daniel Ricciardo made a rare public appearance last year during Ford’s motorsport launch activities in Detroit. The event brought together Max Verstappen, Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad, and several Ford cars as the manufacturer prepares for its F1 debut.
Verstappen and Lindblad took part in a series of driving challenges, featuring Ford race cars, spanning more than a century of motorsport. The Dutchman dominated the early runs before Lindblad won the final test in a Mustang GT3. Ricciardo watched the event from trackside and even encouraged the Red Bull junior.
After the final runs, Verstappen urged his former teammate to get back behind the wheel.
“You need to have a go,” Verstappen said.
“I know. I might put a race suit on,” Ricciardo replied.
“Just go ahead. Just jump in,” Verstappen added.
The Ford collaboration will power both Red Bull teams from 2026, marking the start of the organization’s first full in-house power unit era.
Edited by Hitesh Nigam
