Cocky Ricciardo bet Marko €1,000 that Bottas was doomed!

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Last summer, Daniel Ricciardo was so sure that Valtteri Bottas would leave Mercedes at the end of the season that he bet Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko €1,000 on the Finn's departure.

Ricciardo revealed that when last year's silly season was in full swing, he laid a wager on Bottas future with the Silver Arrows squad, while Marko was adamant the Mercedes driver would stay put.

Exactly why the Aussie was confident at the time in Bottas' exit from Mercedes is anybody's guess, but perhaps his assurance was rooted in his belief that the German manufacturer would offer him a seat alongside Lewis Hamilton.

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That event obviously never came to pass and Ricciardo admitted earlier this year that he had been disappointed by the lack of interest of Mercedes and Ferrari in his services during the summer of 2018.

Still, the Honey Badger's ill-advised bet set him back €1,000 and taught him not to gamble with Marko.

"He did win €1000," Ricciardo told Motorsport.com. "He always wants to bet more – but when he wants to bet more, you know he already knows the answer!

"I'm not a gambling man, I don't really bet or go to casinos. A thousand is not by choice, it's a bit of peer pressure from Helmut."

Thwarted by Red Bull's motorsport boss, Ricciardo eventually won back his hard-earned cash.

"We did another bet actually, I think it was in Melbourne, and I won it back," he said.

"So we're even. It was qualifying, he thought they would be top three in qualifying, and I thought they wouldn't, and they weren't, so I got my money back.

"I don't want to bet with him anymore. But it's OK, if our relationship is like that, it's quite fun!"

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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.