Daniel Ricciardo jumps to the aid of his former team-mate Max Verstappen – Although the two have also collided, he defends the Dutchman
The collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at the Red Bull Ring continues to divide the Formula 1 paddock. Now Verstappen is receiving support from an ex-teammate: his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo, with whom he collided in Azerbaijan in 2018, is defending the three-time world champion’s driving style, which has been criticized from various sides.
The driving style was hard but not reckless, says the Racing Bulls driver, who once battled with Verstappen for supremacy in the Red Bull team but threw in the towel after the 2018 season.
“I think it escalated like that because it was about winning and it was former friends fighting each other who had become enemies,” says the Australian, whose future in Formula 1 for the 2025 season is currently uncertain.
“It was tough, but it was about winning. You don’t just wave someone past. I also believe that in nine out of ten cases, the contact would have had no consequences. The angle [of the impact] was perhaps a bit unfavorable, and that was the end of Lando’s race.”
“But what happened afterwards was, in my opinion, wilder than what happened on the track,” he adds. “What I saw of the fight was not out of the rules. Was it on the limit? Sure. But was it dangerous or even reckless? Not from what I saw, at least.”
Instead, Ricciardo advises Norris to stop complaining and stand his ground on the track. He knows this only too well himself, after all he had to defend his territory against Verstappen in his own racing team – including a collision in Baku. It’s not for nothing that Formula 1 is considered a shark tank at all levels.
“Nobody wants to be the one being pushed around in this sport. You have to stand up to everyone and, of course, it’s also about your own reputation. When it comes to fighting on the track, you don’t want the others to think you’re going to make it easy for them. So you always want to push your elbows out to a certain extent.”
“We know that Max has always had his elbows out from day one. I think it’s just in his blood. He doesn’t have to work hard at it. It’s just his way of racing. You have to be prepared for a tough battle with him. That is his condition. But that doesn’t change the way you have to drive against him.”
Norris had not considered that in the sprint at the Red Bull Ring: “I think Lando learned that on Saturday. I think he thought he’d done it and Max said, ‘No, not today’. Yes, you learn from things like that. “
Situation not like Silverstone 2021
Andrea Stella from McLaren – a team that Ricciardo also drove for – said after the race that the action now was a consequence of the fact that he got away with similar actions in the big 2021 World Championship duel with Lewis Hamilton.
Ricciardo sees things very differently: “It sounds like people are now lashing out at Max, and that’s a bit out of character. He hasn’t changed, that’s how he races, he lives it up on the track and that’s what his fans love him for.”
“Has he matured since the start of his career? He definitely has. It’s not like he’s constantly provoking situations like this.” That’s why he doesn’t think it’s necessary to address the issue in particular: “Maybe tomorrow at the drivers’ briefing. But I don’t think this incident was dangerous. “
He compares the situation with the collision between Verstappen and Hamilton at Silverstone 2021, when Verstappen flew off in a high arc: “The incident [now] was at low speed and not like here at Copse 2021. It had a much bigger impact.”
“If this continues in the next races, it will obviously have a wow effect. But I don’t think one race is enough to create a narrative. “
