Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen grill each other
IT helps having two drivers as charismatic as Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, but the marketing team at Red Bull Racing certainly make the most of the talent in their garage.
Red Bull regularly produces quirky and thoughtful videos to highlight the personalities of its two leading men — and they’ve done it again by asking Ricciardo and Verstappen to grill each other in a half-hour long wrap of the 2016 season.
The Australian and the Dutchman were forced to ask each other some curly questions too — a refreshing approach compared to the PR-conscious drivel other sporting organisations would aim for in the same situation.
“These are awkward questions,” said Ricciardo, when he quizzed Verstappen on what “type of teammate” his young rival thought he was.
“You’re such a lovely, caring, beautiful teammate,” joked Verstappen, before asking Ricciardo’s opinion of him.
“I get asked a lot about your age and what I say is ‘sure you’re young, compared to most of us — well younger’,” Ricciardo responded. “But in racing terms you’re quite old and quite experienced.”
Verstappen asked Ricciardo whether he’d felt renewed pressure to perform after he was promoted to replace former Daniil Kvyat midway through the season.
“I think there’s always pressure,” the West Australian said. “I obviously knew you were quick, but how quick? And then how is he going to deal with everything else (that comes with being in a top team)? I guess there’s pressure on both of us, but for me (individually) just to make sure I keep delivering.”
Verstappen also asked Ricciardo what he thought of chatter which suggests the rivalry between the pair will heighten next season if they’re both in contention for the drivers’ championship.
“In a way it’s cool that they’re thinking about this because they believe we’ll be fighting for a title,” Ricciardo said. “They think we might get to the point (Mercedes duo) Lewis (Hamilton) and Nico (Rosberg) are.
“I guess some of the comments are based on Lewis and Nico’s relationship — before they were teammates they were quite close and then the rivalry spread them apart.
“I take it as a compliment. I’d love to be in that position. If we’re fighting for a title we’ll both be happy. We’ll take the extra pressure.”
As for who is more famous? “I think it depends on what country,” Verstappen said. “For sure when I go to Australia, it’s you. And when you come to Holland ... I think in general it’s still more you.”
Ricciardo appears pleased with the team’s results after entering the season with little hope of challenging for podiums.
“I didn’t expect to finish top five,” he said, when asked about what his real expectations for 2016 had been. “You do the best you can and if the car is good enough you can do better ... there were no real signs we’d be this much better this year. I thought top five would be a stretch.”
Originally published as Ricciardo: ‘These are awkward questions’