Daniel Ricciardo Retires, Auctions $3M Aston Martin Valkyrie, and Signs On With Ford Racing

• Ricciardo’s Aston Martin Valkyrie heads to auction in Belgium this October, with estimates ranging from $2.5–3.3 million.

• The retirement move coincides with his new role as Ford Racing Ambassador, aligning with Ford’s 2026 F1 comeback alongside Red Bull.

• The Valkyrie, a 1,160 hp V12 hybrid hypercar, is one of the closest road-legal experiences to a Formula 1 car, with Ricciardo’s personal spec making it even rarer.

A Farewell to the Track and a $3 Million Hypercar

Daniel Ricciardo’s retirement from competitive racing isn’t just the end of a Formula 1 era — it’s also marked by the sale of one of the wildest cars ever built, his Aston Martin Valkyrie. The hypercar, expected to fetch between $2.5–3.3 million at Broad Arrow’s Zoute Concours Auction in Belgium this October, is as rare as they come.

Finished in a bespoke “Badger Blue” paint scheme, a nod to his “Honey Badger” moniker, Ricciardo’s Valkyrie (chassis #089) has barely been driven — fewer than 100 miles. With nearly $190,000 in Q by Aston Martin options, magnesium wheels, and exposed carbon fiber trim, it’s essentially a showroom-fresh piece of hypercar history.

The Valkyrie: A Road-Car That Thinks It’s an F1 Machine

Developed alongside Red Bull Advanced Technologies, the Aston Martin Valkyrie is powered by a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated Cosworth V12, paired with a hybrid system that pushes output to 1,160 horsepower. It weighs just over a ton, making it one of the closest things to a Formula 1 car for the road.

With Ricciardo’s ties to Red Bull and Aston Martin through his racing career, this car is more than just a collectible — it’s part of his personal racing story.

From Driver to Ambassador: Ricciardo Joins Ford Racing

While Ricciardo is stepping away from the cockpit, he isn’t leaving the sport behind entirely. He’s signed on as Ford’s Global Racing Ambassador, a move that aligns perfectly with Ford’s upcoming Formula 1 comeback in 2026, when the Blue Oval partners with Red Bull Powertrains.

For Ford, Ricciardo brings global star power, charisma, and a direct link to fans who’ve followed him from his early Red Bull days to his final laps. For Ricciardo, it’s a chance to remain close to the action, shaping Ford’s motorsport image without the grind of a full race calendar.

Source : Official Instagram Page of Daniel Ricciardo

A Symbolic Shift

The timing couldn’t be more symbolic: selling the Aston Martin Valkyrie, a hypercar born out of an Aston-Red Bull partnership, while signing with Ford just as the company cements its Red Bull alliance. One chapter closes, another begins.

For collectors, Ricciardo’s Valkyrie represents one of the rarest opportunities to buy a hypercar with genuine F1 DNA — and a famous name attached. For fans, it signals that while Ricciardo may be retired, the Honey Badger is still very much part of the motorsport story.

Those interested in bidding or exploring more detailed images of Ricciardo’s Valkyrie can visit the official Broad Arrow Auctions website

All auction listing photographs courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions.