Aussie F1 ace Daniel Ricciardo tests Ford Mustang V8 Supercar in Detroit – UPDATE

UPDATE, 17 February 2023: Video has been published of Australian Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo's experience behind the wheel – and in the passenger seat – of a Ford Mustang V8 Supercar in Detroit.

A 66-second clip posted by Ford Australia on social media platform Twitter shows global Ford boss Jim Farley taking Ricciardo for a lap of a Ford test track in the Mustang racer – before they swap, and Ricciardo gets behind the wheel.

The video is embedded below – and our original story published last week continues afterwards.

10 February 2023: Australian Formula One ace Daniel Ricciardo – who is taking a year off from full-time racing following his departure from the struggling McLaren F1 team at the end of last year – has had a taste of a Ford Mustang V8 Supercar during a flying visit to Detroit.

Video has appeared on social media overnight of Ricciardo being introduced to Ford employees – as a guest of the global boss of Ford, Jim Farley, and the company's international motorsport manager Mark Rushbrook.

After a quick meet and greet with the Ford team, Ricciardo is given the keys to a range of cars including a Ford Mustang Mach 1 V8 coupe, a Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, and a Ford F-150 Lightning electric pick-up – and access to the company's test track.

On a Ford Performance Instagram stories video – which has since expired – Ricciardo tells the audience before his test drive: "I'm just excited to drive something, I haven't driven in a few months.

"I might be a little rusty, but hopefully no-one's judging me out there," Ricciardo added, possibly in a self-deprecating reference to his struggles with the McLaren F1 race car over the past two years.

"I'm excited to get behind the wheel of some vehicles for sure. Speaking to (Red Bull F1 teammates) Max and Checo in New York a few days ago, Max couldn't stop talking about ... the (electric) supervan. When he said (it had) 2000 horsepower I thought he was joking."

Ricciardo – who has previously revealed he owned a Ford F-150 Raptor as his daily driver at his US home – declared he was "definitely a truck guy, bit of a country guy at heart."

At Ricciardo's disposal was a yellow right-hand-drive Ford Mustang Mach 1 V8, as well as a Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV and an F-150 Lightning electric pick-up.

After the drive of the Ford Mustang Mach 1 road car, Ricciardo continued the self-deprecating theme: "I'm starting to get a little more comfortable, remembered how to (use a) gearshift which was awesome, and use a clutch. It sounds great, the hairpin down the back (I was) getting a nice little slide ... starting to loosen up and enjoy it, had a smile on my face."

Then Ricciardo hit the track in a previous-generation Ford Mustang V8 Supercar after accepting an invitation from Ford boss Jim Farley to take it for a spin.

Mr Farley told Ricciardo the Ford Mustang V8 Supercar should "give you a little taste of home."

After his drive of the Ford Mustang V8 Supercar, Ricciardo says: "Just got out of this bad boy right here ... a V8 Supercar here in Michigan is far from home but I felt at home in it, it was a lot of fun.

"A big thanks to Ford for having me out here today. It's been a blast. I've enjoyed my first visit to Detroit and I'll be coming back that's for sure."

As reported last weekend, US car giant Ford will return to the top echelon of motorsport – Formula One – with the championship-winning Red Bull racing team from 2026.

After a 22-year absence, the US car giant has signed up to a minimum five-year commitment – from 2026 to “at least” 2030 – to supply the next-generation of hybrid engines for the pinnacle motorsport category.

Red Bull Racing has won five Formula One constructor’s championships – and six Formula One driver championships – since 2010, the latter including the past two years in a row in the hands of Dutch driver Max Verstappen.