Daniel Ricciardo: Max Verstappen Ascends to Legendary Status Amid Power Unit Triumph

Daniel Ricciardo says Max Verstappen will “go down as one of the best ever,” acknowledging the unprecedented achievement Red Bull has realized in its inaugural season with in-house power units.

Ricciardo was Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull from 2016 through 2018, and has since become an ambassador for Ford, whose Red Bull Powertrains partnership debuted on the race grid this season.

The program secured its first victory at the 2019 Bahrain Grand Prix (originally scheduled for Sakhir but postponed to Sepang). Ricciardo contacted Verstappen and the team soon after the win.

“I look back on my time as teammate with Max very fondly; it was a remarkable period,” Ricciardo shared on the Cars and Culture with Jason Stein podcast. “And yes, there were moments of intense rivalry and competition, but they pushed us to new heights. I truly valued that experience.”

“Of course, he has gone on and done so much, and he’s going to go down as one of the best ever, no doubt about it. He possesses insane talent.”

That win at Sepang came at a historic venue that holds special meaning for the Australian driver. He secured victory in 2016 at this track, leading Red Bull to a Red Bull 1-2 finish alongside Verstappen.

Ten years later, Ricciardo remains impressed by Red Bull’s consistency. This season, the combined effort of Red Bull and Ford Racing has seen multiple victories—three to Ferrari’s two—surpassing their historic tally. Verstappen added wins in Singapore and Mexico, putting Red Bull ahead of Ferrari in total GPs won this year. While Ricciardo finished second overall in the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix, he remains in second place among the drivers after the São Paulo Grand Prix.

Ricciardo, who departed Formula 1 in 2024 and launched a partnership between his Enchante brand and Ford Racing at the start of the year, maintains strong ties with members of the Red Bull team. He expressed his gratitude, sending congratulations to Max and other colleagues, noting the team’s positive reception.

Daniel Ricciardo, Racing Bulls

Photo by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images

Source link