Verstappen 'won't miss Ricciardo' as teammate
Max Verstappen says he will not miss having Daniel Ricciardo as a teammate in 2019.
Australian Ricciardo shocked both Red Bull and the wider motor racing world by switching for this year to Renault.
"Personally I won't miss him," Verstappen told Algemeen Dagblad newspaper, "but he was fun and pleasant to have as a teammate.
"That doesn't happen often and perhaps it won't happen again," he added. "But will I miss him? I believe Daniel will miss what he had here."
Dutchman Verstappen thinks Ricciardo is leaving Red Bull at the wrong time, just as it switches from customer Renault power to determined works partner Honda.
"Honda's whole attitude and the plans they have, it's totally different compared to what we were used to with Renault," he said.
"With Renault we always had to push. It always had to come from us and it was usually ignored. Now it is the other way around and we are pushed to supply parts.
"They need gearboxes and things like that from us, which are really not that easy to make. But Honda just wants to test, test, test. They do more kilometres than I do on the circuit," Verstappen said.
The 21-year-old is keeping expectations in check for 2019, but he does think Red Bull-Honda will be "closer" to Mercedes and Ferrari this year.
"Maybe it will not be enough to compete at every circuit. But we have to make steps during the season so that we can certainly compete for the title from the beginning of 2020," added Verstappen.
✅ Check out more posts with related topics:
I think Verstappen will be closer to ferrari and Mercedes, but i hope in 2019 is Leclerc facing Vettel point by point.
McLaren i don't think Sainz a good choice I had choose Ocon or Magnussen they are more agressive than Sainz.
For me the worst thing this year was replacing Ericson with Giovinazi instead Mick Schumacher.Merecedes could done better choosing Ocon instead Bottas ( is good to partner someone because he helps but don't fight to win races ) so Hamilton with the better car don't have oponents in title challenge.
Few years ago they talk bad about red bull domination and now is worse no one can fight them
....and Ricciardo wont miss Verstappen. I mean really, who would miss an arrogant person like him?
I know nothing of Verstappen's personal life. He may very well be arrogant and, perhaps, even socially inept. But what needs to be kept in mind is that he is car racing driver and not a contestant in the likeability competition. If he is arrogant, indeed, he is more than paid for it by so many people having nothing but the worst to say about him - certainly so on this board.