Daniel Ricciardo is the only driver who has had the opportunity to share a garage with both Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel, and the eight-time Grand Prix winner once had to choose between them both after being asked who is the better driver over a single lap.
Ricciardo never managed to win a world title himself, but his bold overtakes and lively presence around the paddock have made him a memorable figure in F1.
The Australian didn’t just drive alongside two multiple-time champions in Vettel and Verstappen; he also managed to outperform both of them over the course of a season, something no one has done since in Verstappen’s career.
With his experience against Verstappen, Ricciardo has even shared advice with rookie Arvid Lindblad on how to handle the Red Bull star during race weekends.
Daniel Ricciardo backs Max Verstappen over Sebastian Vettel in 2019 podcast with Nico Rosberg
Back in 2019, Ricciardo appeared on Nico Rosberg’s podcast and was asked what set Verstappen apart from Vettel, his predecessor at Red Bull.
Verstappen was still early in his career then, but he’d already made a name for himself as one of the most exciting talents on the grid, even though he hadn’t yet won a title.
Ricciardo said: “With Max, I really think that we pushed each other more and more, and got that extra two-tenths that sometimes we didn’t think was there. Another thing with Max, he was just quick out of the box as well, like FP1, first lap, just go.
“There wasn’t much of a feeling-out process. I think he drives on a lot of probably instinct, and he just goes. There wasn’t much of a build-up.”
Ricciardo continued: “He’s still technical but probably less than Seb. Seb is much more sensitive to how the car feels; Max is more about instinct and raw talent.”
When it came down to picking who would be quicker over a single lap, Ricciardo didn’t hesitate to pick Verstappen.
Ricciardo replied: “Max. I won’t take anything away from Seb. Like Seb is not slow by any means. But I would say on raw speed; probably more so because Max is still young.”
“And I think if he’s quick now then he’s probably only going to get quicker whereas Seb has been doing it that long,” Ricciardo continued.
“I think you’ll always improve as a driver but there’s probably less room to grow for Seb and there’s more for Max.”
Daniel Ricciardo’s Comments on Verstappen Prove Right Over Time
When Ricciardo backed Verstappen during his chat with Rosberg, few could have predicted just how far the Dutchman would go.
At the time, Verstappen had only five Grand Prix wins to his name. Now, he sits third on F1’s all-time wins list with 71 victories, a number that continues to grow.
That figure surpasses not only Vettel’s Red Bull record but also the total number of career wins the German driver collected across his 16 years in Formula One.
Considering Verstappen is still in just his 12th season in F1, it highlights how remarkable his rise has been and how far ahead he already is of many legends in the sport.
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