Daniel Ricciardo Announced as Ambassador for Ford Racing

Ex-Formula 1 driver, Daniel Ricciardo has been announced as a global ambassador for the rebranded Ford Racing brand, formerly known as Ford Performance.

The announcement comes following a cryptic post made by Ricciardo on social media, featuring a Ford Bronco Raptor, captioned “More around the corner…” 

Ricciardo will primarily be an ambassador for the Raptor performance sub-brand – which includes the Ford Ranger Raptor sold in Australia, as well as the Bronco SUV and F-150 pickup models sold in North America – and Ford’s other off-road activities. 

Ricciardo made 257 starts in Formula 1 between 2011 and 2024, racing for HRT, Toro Rosso (later racing for the team following its rebrand to RB), Red Bull, Renault, and McLaren, taking eight wins and 32 podiums during his time on the grid. 

The Australian driver retired from the sport after being dropped by RB following last year’s Singapore Grand Prix. 

A Raptor customer himself, Ricciardo announced his involvement with Ford Racing in a blog post addressed to the global Ford team members. 

“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,” said Ricciardo. 

“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.”  

Announced yesterday, Ford Performance’s rebrand to Ford Racing will reportedly bring its racing and road car operations closer together.

“Our new Ford Racing organisation will bring our road and race operations closer than ever before,” said the General Manager of Ford Racing, Will Ford, in a media release. 

“Under one global leader, our super-talented engineers, designers and aerodynamicists will find innovative solutions for the track and bring them to our road products – and vice versa.”

Ford’s race cars in Australia will sport Ford Racing branding from the start of 2026, including its Supercars entries, its Mustang Cup competitors, as well as a likely GT3 entry into the Bathurst 12 Hour.