Jos Verstappen picks who has been Max's best teammate
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- GPblog.com
Max Verstappen is only 25 years old, but has now completed almost eight full seasons in Formula 1. He has already experienced quite a few different teammates and Jos Verstappen was asked by Formula1.co.uk the question of who in his eyes has been son Max's best teammate over the years.
Five drivers have all been teammates of Verstappen: Carlos Sainz, Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon and Sergio Perez. Only Ricciardo managed to beat the Red Bull Racing driver.
Jos Verstappen finds it difficult to answer the question posed, but ultimately chose Ricciardo. "I do think maybe he learnt the most from Daniel Ricciardo, a nice peer he got on very well with. Max was a young guy then and Ricciardo really good, a qualifying beast."
Ricciardo beats Verstappen
In 2016, Ricciardo and Verstappen competed seventeen races as teammates of each other [first four GPs Max still competed for Toro Rosso]. Ricciardo scored a total of 220 points in those seventeen Grands Prix, Verstappen 191. A year later, in 2017, Ricciardo was also the better over a full season. He is the only one who managed to finish above Verstappen in the World Championship.
Of course, Max was a bit younger and less experienced back then when he lost out, but it is striking how hard Ricciardo has struggled at McLaren in the last two years. Jos: "I also think the car suited him well then and that is a bit Ricciardo's problem now. The car doesn't suit him that well. There are things that don't suit Ricciardo so well and that's why it's not working now."
Max and Daniel are good friends
Verstappen and Riccardo, incidentally, keep a more than fine relationship. The former regretted the Australian's decision to leave for Renault in 2019, but the two are still good friends. This was again evident at the press conference ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.