Ricciardo: Verstappen will go down as ‘one of the best ever’

Daniel Ricciardo has never been short of admiration for Max Verstappen, but the retired Australian driver believes his former Red Bull team-mate is already destined for a place among Formula 1's greatest ever drivers.

Having shared a garage with the Dutchman between 2016 and 2018, Ricciardo witnessed first-hand the extraordinary talent that would eventually deliver multiple world championships.

And with Verstappen continuing to add to his achievements, the eight-time Grand Prix winner has little doubt about the legacy taking shape.

Ricciardo also reserved considerable praise for Red Bull's remarkable engineering achievement in 2026, with the team's decision to develop its own power unit alongside Ford producing a competitive success in just its first season.

The engine’s first victory, at Sepang in October, provided a memorable milestone for a partnership that has already exceeded expectations.

Ricciardo hails Verstappen's extraordinary talent

Reflecting on their three seasons together at Red Bull, Ricciardo recalled a relationship shaped by fierce competition but also by the mutual respect that came from pushing each other to the limit.

"I look back on my time as team-mates with Max very fondly; it was a cool time," Ricciardo said on the Cars and Culture with Jason Stein podcast.

"And yes, there were moments of intense rivalry and competition and all of it, but it made us push ourselves to another level. I loved that.

"Of course, he has gone on and done so much, and he's going to go down as one of the best ever, no doubt about it. He's an insane talent."

Coming from someone who shared a garage with Verstappen during the formative years of the latter’s career, the endorsement carries particular weight.

Ricciardo experienced the Dutchman's speed and uncompromising competitive instinct before he established himself as one of the defining figures of his generation.

Red Bull and Ford deliver an extraordinary achievement

Since retiring from F1, Ricciardo has been astonished by what his former team has accomplished in building an entirely new power unit programme and immediately turning it into a race-winning operation.

"Every year he has been with Red Bull, he's won a race. For them to do it, with Ford Racing this year, to come out and win... I can't even comprehend," he said.

"I knew a bit about the project and what they were building, but I can't comprehend everything that has gone into it. And for them to go and win in their first season together, there is no better guy to do it than Max."

Verstappen has since added victories in Singapore and Mexico, taking Red Bull's tally to three for the season, ahead of Ferrari's two.

His remarkable recovery from 21st on the grid to second in Brazil further underlined his ability to extract extraordinary results, leaving him second in the Drivers' Championship after the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Ricciardo has remained in contact with several members of his former team and was quick to share in their celebrations following the outfit’s Sepang breakthrough.

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"The whole thing has been awesome," he said. "I sent Max and quite a few others in the team that I still talk with a message after, to share my congrats and happiness.

"It was received well; there are a lot of good people in that team."

For Ricciardo, then, Red Bull's achievement is more than just another successful chapter in the team's history.

Having experienced its competitive spirit from inside the garage, he understands the scale of the undertaking – and clearly believes Verstappen remains the perfect driver to lead its latest success story.

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