Daniel Ricciardo praises Max Verstappen's unchanged persona amidst Formula 1 dominance

The two shared the Red Bull garage before Ricciardo's stint with McLaren, during which Verstappen clinched two Drivers' titles and helped the team regain the Constructors' Championship.

Ricciardo's return to Red Bull as a third driver for 2023 and was loaned out to AlphaTauri to replace Nyck de Vries, but things took an unexpected turn when he suffered a broken hand during practice for the recent Dutch Grand Prix. 

This unfortunate incident sidelined him for the Dutch and Italian Grands Prix, and he is also expected to miss the physically demanding Singapore and Japan circuits. His potential return coincides with Verstappen's bid for a third consecutive title.

Despite his meteoric rise in the sport, Max Verstappen remains the same person, according to Ricciardo. 

In a recent interview on Red Bull's Talking Bull podcast, Ricciardo stated, "I was team-mates with Max for quite a few years, and we always had a pretty good time when we were team-mates together and had a laugh. Even more so in the last few years, we've got on really well. I admire Max for his approach to racing, but also, after the success that he's had particularly over the last few years, he is kind of unchanged. 

"Personality, mindset, whatever, it is like he hasn't really been affected by the success. That is easier said than done, and certainly at this level, I think admirable."

As the Formula 1 season progresses, the next challenge awaits at the Singapore Grand Prix, known for its physically demanding track.

Drivers will tackle the bumpy 5.063km Marina Bay Circuit in hot and humid conditions during the race scheduled for the weekend of 15-17 September.

 

Read More: Charles Leclerc defends Max Verstappen-Red Bull dominance: They deserve it (planetsport.com)