Daniel Ricciardo Makes Honest Max Verstappen Admission: ‘I Was Just Concerned’ 

Ricciardo departed Red Bull at the end of the 2018 campaign to join Renault, ending a highly competitive teammate pairing with Verstappen. Since then, the Dutch driver has gone on to dominate the sport, capturing four world championships.

Reflecting on that turning point, Ricciardo acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding what might have happened had he stayed. Responding to a fan question about what he might change in his career, he said: “The most obvious ‘what if?’ or whatever, especially for people on the outside, is, ‘OK, what if you stayed at Red Bull after 2018?’”

While the question still lingers, Ricciardo explained that the decision was shaped by concerns about how the team dynamic might evolve rather than an unwillingness to compete.

“There were reasons I didn’t think it was going to work. There’s also a scenario where Max just obliterated me as the years went on, and maybe my career ended even quicker. I don’t know.”

Daniel Ricciardo Reflects on Rivalry With Max Verstappen

During their time as teammates at Red Bull, Ricciardo and Verstappen developed a competitive internal rivalry. Both drivers were race winners and frequently pushed each other on track while the team remained one of Formula 1’s top contenders.

Ricciardo said he felt capable of matching Verstappen’s pace during that period: “At the time, I was competitive with Max, and we were pushing each other really well.”

Still, the Australian acknowledged the scale of Verstappen’s rise since then. “But I can’t deny that Max is… Max.”

Ricciardo also addressed the narrative that he may have been avoiding the challenge posed by his teammate. “At the time, some of the narrative was all like, ‘Am I kind of running from the fight?’ I don’t think I was running from the fight. I was just concerned with how things were going to go moving forward,” he said.

Curiosity, Not Regret

Ricciardo stopped short of calling the decision to leave Red Bull a regret, describing it instead as a lingering curiosity about how the rivalry might have evolved.

“I’m curious how that would have turned out. I don’t know if I’d go as far as saying (that’s) a regret, but it remains a curiosity.”

Ricciardo stepped away from Formula 1 after losing his RB seat in 2024 and has since taken on a role as a global ambassador for Ford Performance.

Even years later, his 2018 Red Bull exit remains a topic of discussion among fans and analysts. In a sport shaped by pivotal career decisions, Ricciardo’s departure remains one of Formula 1’s enduring “what if” scenarios.