The one thing Verstappen absolutely hates about Ricciardo

40

As ultra-competitive team mates, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo enjoy a surprisingly good relationship, but there's one thing the former absolutely hates about the latter.

Asked in Thursday's FIA press conference what influence the Honey Badger has had on him, Verstappen delivered a surprising response.

"Really bad," the 20-year-old quipped.

"He keeps farting! It smells so bad in our hospitality all the time...

"He's a great guy," he added however. "On track we always try to beat each other, but off track we can have a great laugh.

Briatore: 'They're trying to kill Verstappen, it's crazy!'

"We respect each other, and to be honest I've never really experienced something like that in racing, to have such a good teammate, to really have fun with.

"I hope we can be teammates for a long time."

Should both men find themselves locked in a tight battle for the title in 2018, Verstappen believes their good relationship can withstand the pressure.

"I think so because we respect each other," he said.

"When you are fighting for a world championship you will have a bit more tension on the track but at the end of the day you always come back to where you respect each other.

"You have to accept if one guy is faster than the other, that's what we can do.

"Also when somebody has a good race, we can say 'well done' and 'you deserved that', I think that really important."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.