Last Updated on December 27 2025, 8:30 am

Back Behind the Wheel After Formula 1 – Former Formula 1 race winner Daniel Ricciardo has returned to the cockpit, making a high-profile comeback less than a year after retiring from grand prix racing. The Australian took part in the Raptor Rally at Lake Havasu in Arizona, delivering a series of spectacular off-road moments as part of his role as a brand ambassador for Ford.

Ricciardo officially joined the American manufacturer in September 2025, after concluding his Formula 1 career at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix. Although his competitive days in single-seaters appear to be over, the event in the Arizona desert demonstrated that his passion for speed, adrenaline, and driving challenges is still very much alive.

 

 

A Relaxed Start in the Arizona Desert

The Raptor Rally brought together a fleet of Ford F-150 Raptors for a multi-day off-road experience featuring high-speed runs, technical sections, and dramatic jumps. For Ricciardo, the opening evening was intentionally low-key, allowing him to ease into an unfamiliar environment far removed from the controlled world of Formula 1 circuits.

“All I could think about was that tonight we were going to take a drive into the sunset, go on a short off-road trip, let the Raptors do some work and probably end the evening with a cold drink,” Ricciardo explained. This relaxed mindset suited him well, especially since he admitted that he had arrived without knowing exactly what to expect.

Rather than viewing this uncertainty as a disadvantage, Ricciardo embraced it. “As soon as someone gives me a briefing, I think to myself: I like the surprise,” said the former Red Bull driver, highlighting his more carefree approach compared to the highly structured environment of Formula 1.

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Ricciardo Takes the Big Leap

If the first evening was about settling in, day two was about pushing limits. The schedule included jump attempts, quickly turning the rally into a serious test of confidence and commitment. Ricciardo completed his first jump cleanly, but it was his second attempt that truly stood out.

Approaching the ramp with greater speed and confidence, he launched the Raptor significantly further than most of the other participants. Upon landing, he and his co-driver burst into laughter as they rolled to a stop beside a race official who remarked, ‘That was twice as far as what everyone else has been doing all day.”

Ricciardo later reflected on the moment with his usual self-awareness.

“Unfortunately, my ego got the better of me a bit and I wasn’t satisfied with the first one,’ he admitted with a smile. ‘So we really went for it. That felt great. That was so much fun.”

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Experience in Dakar machinery

As the event progressed, Ricciardo experienced the rally from the passenger seat, taking in another off-road stage in a different Raptor R.

The highlight came when he climbed into the Ford Raptor T1+, the same machine used in the Dakar Rally.

By switching between the roles of driver and passenger, Ricciardo gained a new appreciation for the physical demands and intensity of professional off-road racing. A run with experienced professionals Lauren and Mitch left a lasting impression. “I was quite scared,” Ricciardo admitted. “But it was really fun. I’d never done anything like that before.”

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Exhausted, happy and inspired

By the end of the rally, the former Formula 1 star looked physically drained but visibly satisfied. ‘I’m exhausted, so we’re ending the day in the pool,’ he joked, summing up the balance of effort and enjoyment that had defined the event.

Ricciardo closed by praising the atmosphere surrounding the Raptor Rally and the community built around it. “I think what the community has built is truly great. “What makes the Raptor special is the people and days like this.” Although his Formula 1 career may have come to an end, Ricciardo’s passion for driving clearly remains undiminished.

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NEXT ARTICLE: Red Bull’s 2026 Warning: One Flaw Could Derail Verstappen’s Title Push

Red Bull’s Achilles heel remains despite positive soundings over 2026 power unit – Recent revelations emerging suggest both Mercedes and Red Bull may steal a march on the competition early in 2026. This is due to a loophole both have explored in the FIA’s new technical regulations governing compression restrictions designed to ensure less peak performance and greater efficiency.

With the all new bio fuels being developed by the manufacturers lubricant partner’s the fuel load will drop from 100kg to just 70kg although Mercedes and Red Bull’s PU’s may be more thirsty than the rest of the field.

A rogue engineer leaving the Brixworth high performance power unit division Mercedes has revealed the team is experimenting with components in the combustion engine which expand when the engine is hot. This will up the compression rate above the FIA’s mandated maximum and will go undetected due to the manner in which F1’s governing body will test this regulation.

Compression will be tested whilst the car is stationary and at ambient temperatures, the FIA have declared. Testing this while the car is on track has proven to be difficult for the FIA to achieve, so the grey area in the regulations will be exploited to the limit.

Max Verstappen is said to have been impressed with the progress of Red Bull’s first ever home built powertrain with the team’s technical director of RBPT revealing his thoughts. “He was able to see some running engines doing laps, so he got to hear what the ’26 power unit would sound like.

“I think he was impressed. This is an exceptional facility put together by a group of really exceptional people. The level of detail we go into on every single element, I think is absolutely vital in trying to get where we aspire to get on the grid and on the podium,”

Red Bull have proven once again in 2025, even without the guidance of Adrian Newey, they are the team who pushed boundaries the best in terms of in season development. Should they emerge somewhere near the front of the…READ MORE ON THIS STORY