Daniel Ricciardo wanted his rivalry with Max Verstappen to be like Lewis Hamilton vs Nico Rosberg

Follow us on Google Discover

Lewis Hamilton’s rivalry with Nico Rosberg is one of the most explosive teammate battles in F1’s modern history. After Rosberg’s tenure in the sport came to a close, Daniel Ricciardo revealed the one reason why he wanted a similar sort of feud with Max Verstappen.

What started as a childhood friendship between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg turned into the fiercest of rivalries upon being reunited as teammates at Mercedes in 2013.

As the German constructor arrived with a dominant package in 2014, they often traded blows in their own respective quest for a world title, causing their relationship to suffer massively as a result.

A series of mind games between Hamilton and Rosberg ensued, with the Brit often ending up above his Mercedes counterpart in the F1 standings.

The 2016 season served as a flash point in the rivalry. Rosberg had finally bested his arch-nemesis and secured himself a world title in a season riddled with tension.

• READ MORE: Isack Hadjar says Lewis Hamilton ‘can’t stand’ one of his biggest ever Formula 1 rivals

🔢 Rank Max Verstappen’s five teammates since Daniel Ricciardo

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

Daniel Ricciardo explained why he wanted his rivalry with Max Verstappen to be like Lewis Hamilton vs Nico Rosberg

During a sit-down conversation between Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen after the conclusion of the 2016 F1 season, the two Red Bull teammates had a number of questions that they asked each other in regards to the recently-concluded season and their future at the team.

In one segment, Verstappen asked his Red Bull counterpart for his opinion on whether their rivalry would increase in the following season, which was a topic for debate at the time.

Ricciardo replied, “In a way, it’s cool that they’re thinking about this because they believe that we will be fighting for a title. So in a way, I take it as a positive that they believe in us, sort of thing.

“That they think we might get to the point that Lewis and Nico are, fighting for a title. And then I guess some of the comments are based on Nico and Lewis’s relationship.

“Before they were teammates and all that, they were quite close, and then as the rivalry grew, it sort of spread them apart a bit more and whatever.

“I take it as a compliment I would like I told them that I would love to be in that position because if we’re fighting for a title, then we’ll be very happy. We’ll take the extra pressure.”

• READ MORE: Karun Chandhok shares how Daniel Ricciardo forced Max Verstappen to change his approach at Red Bull

Daniel Ricciardo is still the only F1 driver to beat Max Verstappen in equal machinery over a full season

Seven seasons have passed since Ricciardo and Verstappen shared a garage in the pit lane, but the Australian still remains as the most formidable teammate of the four-time world champion to this date.

The 2017 F1 season was their first full campaign together, and Ricciardo ended the season above Verstappen in the drivers’ standings by 32 points.

The Dutchman has never lost a teammate battle since.

Ahead of his departure from Milton Keynes at the end of 2018, Ricciardo offered some advice to Verstappen’s future teammates.

The eight-time Grand Prix winner warned that whoever races alongside the Dutchman next will need to be on top of their game ‘all the time’ in order to get the better of him.