Max Verstappen admits he never wanted Daniel Ricciardo to leave Red Bull

Two-time World Champion Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has made a huge admission at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Daniel Ricciardo’s return to the grid.

AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo (left) and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen (right)

Max Verstappen has made a huge admission on Daniel Ricciardo’s shock return to the Formula One grid, saying that he never wanted the Australian to leave despite the clear tension between the pain while they were teammates.

Ricciardo, at the time one of Formula One’s top talents in the mould of fellow Australian before him Mark Webber, left Red Bull after four years at the end of 2018 to pursue the spotlight, tired of the increasing priority given to golden child Verstappen.

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Defecting to Renault before joining McLaren in a series of ill-fated moves, Ricciardo found himself without a race seat for the 2023 season, and returned to his old team as a reserve driver, mostly for the PR benefits of his Colgate smile and infectious personality.

Replacing Dutchman Nyck De Vries at AlphaTauri (previously known as Toro Rosso, where Ricciardo raced from 2012 to 2013), Ricciardo’s return to the F1 grid after an impressive tyre test at Silverstone earlier this month in the RB19 shocked the motorsport world.

It has put Ricciardo onto a path back into a frontrunning vehicle with Sergio Perez struggling alongside Max Verstappen in the top team.

Guess who’s back – back again. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)

While Verstappen and Ricciardo had their well-documented tensions towards the end of their time together at Red Bull, they seem to hold no ill will, with Verstappen admitting he would welcome a reunion.

“I mean, I never actually wanted him to leave,” Verstappen said.

“I spoke already quite a bit with Daniel last week. I could see he was very excited, also after driving our car.

“It’s great to have Daniel back on the grid and within the family.

“We know that we get on very well, and if Daniel does well where he is now, then of course you have the opportunity to go back up, right?

“It’s all open, to be honest.”

After a practice session in which teammate Yuki Tsunoda surprised all to place fourth, Ricciardo says he has had a seamless transition back into the sport.

“Obviously there’s a lot of outside attention, but once I put the helmet on and got in the car, it all felt in a way like I never really left, so that was nice,” Ricciardo said.

“I think positions are probably not too relevant at the moment.

“I think it was more just for me today to feel basically where I am with the car. It all felt pretty familiar.”

Likely three-time World Champion Verstappen admits he would welcome an Australian reunion at Red Bull. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Ricciardo said the car felt familiar, despite having been out of the sport full-time for half a season.

“Obviously this morning we didn’t really get anything. This afternoon I think [we were missing] just a little bit on the new tyre, but nothing really I’m concerned about,” he said.

“I think the car felt okay, so to be honest it doesn’t feel too bad. A bit of work tonight but nothing crazy.

“I think a bit more out of me [is to come], and for sure there are some things already I feel in the car that we can try and work on.

“Right now I’m quite optimistic. It looked like Yuki as well had a pretty good day. I think if we put all these things together, maybe tomorrow we can do okay.”

The Hungarian Grand Prix gets underway at 11pm AEST on Sunday July 23rd.