‘I was gonna say something serious, but I think ultimately it’s probably my good looks!.’ Daniel Ricciardo suggested this when asked about his growing popularity in the US. The Aussie is known for his jolly nature and this was one of the many times when he made a cheeky comment. Nevertheless, Daniel Ricciardo couldn’t help but praise Max Verstappen as his dominance prevails. However, as is the case with Ricciardo, there’s always a catch to it. 

Max Verstappen left an impression ever since he started his F1 career with Toro Rosso. The Dutchman was promoted to the senior team the year after he joined Toro Rosso and won his first-ever race with Red Bull. That was the moment that confirmed Verstappen’s talent. Since that day, the Dutchman has only looked forward and gotten better over the years. The 25-year-old took it to the next level this year, asserting himself as the dominant force in F1. 

Winning 6 of the 8 races so far, Daniel Ricciardo couldn’t help but praise Verstappen for his dominance. Ricciardo was his teammate for about 3 years and suggested that Verstappen always had the raw speed in him. However, as Daniel praised Verstappen, he ended with a cheeky statement hoping for the Dutch driver to limit his potential. The Australian hoped that Max to not get any better as he is already at a very high level. 

According to Total-Motorsport.com, Daniel Ricciardo said “So the speed was there, it was then just kind of cleaning up the edges and, naturally, that comes with experience and maturity. I think he’s now that person. He’s in his mid-20s and just the way he carries himself, I look at him now as a young man, not a teenager, and I think he’s very comfortable. With a lot more races under his belt as well, [he] knows how to manage the situation, and he’s a complete driver. Hopefully, he doesn’t keep getting better because the level he’s at is pretty good.”

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The Aussie is known for his jolly and naughty nature. Most probably, Daniel Ricciardo made the cheeky statement in a silly manner. However, there is no getting away from the fact that Max is arguably the best driver on the grid at the moment. Even Toto Wolff praised Verstappen. The Mercedes CEO even regrets missing out on the opportunity to get him onboard. 

Toto Wolff explains the reason for not signing Max Verstappen 

When Max Verstappen entered F1, Mercedes already had two established drivers with the team. Lewis Hamilton who had just won the championship in 2014 and Nico Rosberg, who would go on to win the 2016 championship. When a Mercedes seat was eventually made available for 2017, Verstappen wasn’t available. Wolff sums up by suggesting that Toro Rosso was probably the right option for Verstappen.

According to ESPN.com, Toto Wolff said “Do I regret missing out on Max? Certainly. But it wasn’t an option back in the day. We had two drivers that I was extremely happy with, Nico and Lewis, and when Nico left [at the end of 2016], Valtteri [Bottas] was then the option and Max wasn’t even available.” He further added “But I had two drivers in the seats, no deal with a junior team, so it was clear that the option with Toro Rosso was what they needed to do. And they did well.”

What do you think of Daniel Ricciardo’s cheeky comment about Max Verstappen? Did the Aussie really mean it?

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