--- title: "F1’s Daniel Ricciardo Loves His 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor: ‘Coolest Car I’ve Ever Owned’" date: "2023-02-17" modified: "2023-02-17" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/f1s-daniel-riccardo-loves-his-2017-ford-f-150-raptor-coolest-car-ive-ever-owned" categories: - "F1" - "Ford News" - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Racing" tags: - "F-150 Raptor" - "Ford" - "Off-Road" - "pickup" --- # F1’s Daniel Ricciardo Loves His 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor: ‘Coolest Car I’ve Ever Owned’ ![]() *\Ford/TD\* When off the track, [Formula 1]() drivers are known to drive [fancy-schmancy cars]() to match their fancy-schmancy girlfriends. It's a trend that's been embedded into the F1 paddock since the inception of the sport. This makes it extra refreshing when a top-flight driver opts for something more, say, proletarian. Something like an [American pickup truck](). Unsurprisingly, fan-favorite racing driver [Daniel Ricciardo]() is such a person, because his favorite ride happens to be a [Ford]() [F-150 Raptor](). Speaking to *The Drive*'s Social Media Editor Maddox Kay in New York City, Ricciardo—who is now a reserve driver at Red Bull after being [cut prematurely from McLaren]()—expressed his love for the popular pickup. ![]() **Getty** "From a vehicle point of view, the Raptor is maybe the coolest car I've ever owned," Ricciardo told *The Drive*. This is quite a statement considering Ricciardo has had the chance to play with (and own) many fine-pedigree automobiles over the course of his F1 career. From [Aston DB11s]() to [McLaren Arturas]()—and oh, a brief stint in Renault Clios—the smilin' Australian has hooned them all. But to him, none hoon quite like a Raptor. "I got the Raptor in 2017 and I keep it in California," added Ricciardo. "I actually bought the Raptor before I bought a house \[there\]. Since I was young I loved them. We couldn't get the Raptors in Australia and me and my friends just love utes and trucks and hoped one day we could get one. When I started spending more time in California I was like, I need to buy one. I actually kept it at my mate's house for like a year." ![]() *McLaren Artura. *Getty** The Red Bull driver didn't go into detail about his truck, but given his employer's new partnership with Ford, something tells me he might trade in that 2017 for a new one. In fact, we now know Ricciardo's actually driven a new Raptor—likely a Raptor R—after commenting on the Instagram post of his [good friend Dax Shepard](). "Dude I drove one yesterday!! Soo good! I’m excited for you. I’m excited for us. Pick me up later," commented Ricciardo on a [photo of Shepard's own Raptor R](). Perhaps it's not a matter of *if* he'll get a new Raptor, but *what color?* *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter. ### Author social links [Instagram]()