‘He was one of the only guys to text me’ – Ricciardo explains how friendship with Verstappen blossomed

Former team mates Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen were full of praise for each other at the recent Singapore Grand Prix, where it gradually became clear that the Australian was contesting his final Formula 1 race weekend with RB.

Ricciardo faced question after question about his future as the event wore on and admitted in an emotional post-race interview that “I have to be prepared for this being it” – which was ultimately confirmed to be the case when the team opted to bring in Liam Lawson to replace him..

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With the rumours continuing to swirl after the chequered flag, Verstappen paid tribute to Ricciardo as he completed his TV interview duties – noting the mark the eight-time Grand Prix winner made on the sport in the cockpit and off the track.

“Daniel and I of course go a long way back,” Verstappen said, having partnered Ricciardo at Red Bull from early in 2016 to 2018. “We have always had a great relationship, great friendship, a lot of respect for each other as well, so he’s just a great guy.

“[We] get on well, it just clicks. There is no fake person, we just get along and are easy-going, we are like that. He will for sure be remembered as a very fast driver, I think everyone knows that, but also as a great guy in the paddock.”

After watching those comments play out during his own post-race conversation with Sky Sports F1, Ricciardo shared what it was like to race alongside Verstappen and sent some positive words back in the Dutchman’s direction.

“It’s a funny thing, because as team mates you just know each other more,” he said in response. “You spend so much time together, you see all the data, you see everything.

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“From a professional point of view, you can get inside each other’s head. I got to know how he thinks, he knows how I think, so it’s a weird like intimacy.

“Obviously then, after my Red Bull stint, he went on and won championships. I think at the time we had such a rivalry but also such a… I think we really enjoyed it and it became such a respect.”

Ricciardo also referenced a particularly supportive message from Verstappen in the early stages of the 2024 season, with a difficult run of races – and retirement from the Japanese Grand Prix – bringing an initial round of speculation over his future.

“I think Max has grown into a very… obviously a great driver, but a very mature young man,” added Ricciardo. “He’s always been very appreciative of our friendship and supportive.

“Even after Japan this year, I was getting quite a lot of stick, and he was one of the only guys who sent me a text and said, ‘Mate, keep your head up, we know what you’re capable of. Don’t listen to the noise’. So, I respect and appreciate him a lot.”

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Ricciardo took to social media shortly after RB’s announcement to say that he has “loved this sport my whole life” and to reflect on a “wild and wonderful” adventure that also included stints at HRT, Renault and McLaren.

Lawson will slot into Ricciardo’s seat from next month’s United States Grand Prix in Austin, with Red Bull taking the opportunity to evaluate the New Zealander alongside incumbent Yuki Tsunoda, who is already signed up for 2025.