‘Whatever it takes’: The ‘blank cheque’ offer that could reignite Ricciardo’s career

It was a sad day for F1 fans around the world with Ricciardo’s trademark smile a staple of the grid for well over a decade.

But F1’s loss could be another category’s gain with the Aussie’s marketability and global recognition making him a prime target for the right team.

While some have suggested the veteran could be a target for the new Cadillac team set to join the F1 grid in 2026 due to Ricciardo’s popularity in the US, his future has still not been publicly decided.

Which makes the latest rumblings out of Toyota all the more intriguing.

Toyota are not on the F1 grid as a stand-alone team but have been in the past.

Toyota Gazoo Racing was announced as a technical partner for the Haas F1 Team as of October and will provide design, technical and manufacturing services.

However, Toyota has strong motorsport roots around the world, featuring in NASCAR and, as of 2026, will join Australia’s Supercars Championship with its GR Supra.

Race.news reported last week that the company was prepared to make a “whatever it takes” bid to lure Ricciardo out of retirement.

Believed to potentially be a $10m offer, similar to what he was reportedly earning at VCARB this season, it’s been described as a “blank cheque operation”.

The pursuit has reportedly come directly from Toyota Motor Corporation chairman Akio Toyoda.

Quoting “a former senior Toyota executive, who still has strong ties within the current management team in Tokyo”, the Race.news report said: “I’ve been told that Toyoda-san can see his (Ricciardo’s) value, not just as a driver, but as someone who can drag in the fans in huge numbers because of his natural charisma.”

The source added: “He (Toyoda) can’t see any downside with having him as the face of Gazoo Racing which really is his pet project. And, from what has been told to me, it’s almost a blank cheque operation to get him to say yes.”

As well as driving, it’s believed Ricciardo would also be employed as a worldwide ambassador for the Toyota and the Gazoo Racing brand.

While it’s unclear whether an offer has been tabled to Ricciardo or his management team as yet, or whether he’d even be interested in such a move, it continues to show the popularity of the Aussie star.

Speaking in September around the time of his axing by Red Bull, Ricciardo admitted in an interview with Tourism Western Australia that he’d like to try his hand at NASCAR.

“I grew up a fan of NASCAR,” he said at the time.

“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.

“I don’t know if I need that (but) I would love to experience it.”

He’s also suggested he wouldn’t mind doing “a few laps around Bathurst”.

But the Aussie has largely been keeping to himself since he was cut loose by Red Bull.

After going viral for a sing-a-long while driving with his mate in October, Ricciardo also shared a video of himself with Aussie Supercross star Hunter Lawrence at the Supercross de Paris.

He was also filmed with Buffalo Bills fans as he reignited his bromance with the team’s quarterback Josh Allen last month.

How Ricciardo feels about going back to work is anyone’s guess.

But when he was previously linked to other jobs after he was dropped from Red Bull, Ricciardo gave an answer via former motocross rider Adam Cianciarulo, who uploaded a photo to Instagram of him and Ricciardo.

In the photo, Ricciardo is a wearing a cap that reads: “I’m retired. Having a good time is my job.”