Daniel Ricciardo spotted in ‘new job’ as Aussie vows he’s ‘done’ with F1

Daniel Ricciardo is not targeting a return to the F1 grid any time soon.

Daniel Ricciardo has been spotted wearing an ‘Enchante Cafe’ apron at a pop-up shop for his clothing brand in New York. The Australian met fans at a collaboration organised by Shopify as he enjoys his time away from the F1 paddock.

Ricciardo’s F1 career ended abruptly after the Singapore Grand Prix when he was ousted from the second VCARB seat to facilitate Liam Lawson’s return to the sport. With no seat on the 2025 grid, the popular Aussie is now facing a year on the sidelines for the second time in recent memory.

While many believe that the F1 door is closed for some of the more experienced departing heads, such as Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas and Kevin Magnussen, the arrival of an 11th team in 2026 with Cadillac presents a unique opportunity to those drivers.

Despite his love for American culture and experience leading a Grand Prix-winning team, Ricciardo distanced himself from a return to F1 with Cadillac when asked by a fan at the Enchante pop-up. “Nah, I’m done,” the 35-year-old replied, hinting at a more permanent retirement from the series.

This is consistent with a report from ESPN, which explained that sources close to Ricciardo have confirmed that Cadillac has made no contact and that the Australian has ‘no interest’ in returning to F1 with the sport’s newest team.

What is unclear is whether Ricciardo’s reluctance to return to racing extends beyond the world of F1. The eight-time Grand Prix winner has previously expressed a desire to experience a NASCAR Cup Series weekend with his No.3 selection inspired by the legendary Dale Earnhardt.

In recent years, motorsport stars worldwide have run one-off or occasional races in the Cup Series. Supercars icons Shane van Gisbergen and Will Brown have made starts, while F1 legends Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button both appeared at road course events.

Ricciardo, however, has some qualms. “I grew up a fan of NASCAR,” he told Tourism Western Australia after stepping away from his VCARB drive. “I’d like to drive a NASCAR; I’d love to drive around Daytona, for example.

“But would I like to compete? Yes and no. I know it’s not what I grew up doing, and I’ll probably get smoked. [So] I don’t know if I need that [but] I would love to experience it.”