Ricciardo on Verstappen: 'We got the best out of each other'

4 June 2022 at 15:31

Last update 4 June 2022 at 16:59

GPblog.com

When Daniel Ricciardo thinks back to all his teammates in Formula 1, one driver stands out: Max Verstappen. According to the Australian, the two pushed each other in a way that ultimately benefited both of them.

Not always easy

"When I think about my teammates, Max stands out," Ricciardo is quoted as saying by NextGen-Auto.com. Ricciardo and Verstappen drove as teammates at Red Bull Racing from 2016 through 2018. Besides the victories the duo managed to achieve, there were also some lesser moments. For example, the two crashed in the 2017 GP of Hungary and in Baku in 2018.

Ricciardo left Red Bull after the 2018 F1 season to make a fresh start at Renault. The Australian explains that the relationship between him and Verstappen also improved from then on, as the two were no longer direct opponents.

Pushing at Red Bull

"We pushed each other, sometimes for better or worse, and whether it was a passionate rivalry or a respectful intensity, we got the best out of each other," Ricciardo says of the time alongside Verstappen. In any case, the current McLaren driver is certain that the two drivers benefited from their time as teammates.