Former Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo has been singing the praises of his old teammate Max Verstappen. The Australian retired from the premier class last year and has since been enjoying a retirement away from the spotlight. The eight-time race winner rarely makes his voice heard, but after Verstappen’s victory in Texas, Ricciardo couldn’t resist complimenting his good friend – in his own way.
After Verstappen had already won the sprint race, he also took the win from pole position in the regular American GP. Title rivals Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finished fifth and second respectively. As a result, Verstappen made another comeback in the standings. With five races to go, the Dutchman is only 40 points behind World Championship leader Piastri. The difference with Norris is 26 points.
Ricciardo, who was Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull from 2016 to 2018, reacted to the Dutchman’s performance during the race via a fan group. “Haha yes, Max is ridiculous,” he said in an audio message. “That guy is so incredibly good. But yes, that is of course obvious.” During the race, he continuously provided his fans with reactions and insights, but his praise for Verstappen clearly stood out.
“I’m looking forward to it; Max is making this championship even more exciting than it already was,” Ricciardo concluded. In total, there are still a maximum of 141 points to be awarded. If Verstappen wins all the Grands Prix and Piastri – the current World Championship leader – consistently comes second, the Australian will narrowly take the final victory.”
