Roger & Rafa: A Rivalry For The Ages, A Friendship For Eternity. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are two of the best tennis players to have graced the world with their greatness. Despite a rivalry that lasted almost 20 years, it never got as heated as Formula 1 rivalries usually do. And through it all, they’ve remained the best of friends. If there’s any relationship like theirs in F1, it would be the one between Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen. Although the friendship that started in 2016 is still going strong, their rivalry saw its demise in 2018. What’s more? It might never be rekindled.

When Ricciardo left Red Bull in 2019 to pursue his dream of winning races as a first driver, Max Verstappen stepped up and established himself as one of the best drivers F1 has seen. After last week’s record-breaking performance, Christian Horner said, “I don’t think there’s anybody in the world right now that could beat Max in this car, that’s for sure.” Unfortunately for him—despite beating Verstappen in 2017—that includes Ricciardo. 

Daniel Ricciardo could “absolutely” beat Sergio Perez, but not Verstappen

There’s no question that Ricciardo isn’t in his prime anymore. Having left the good old days behind at Red Bull, the Honey Badger didn’t find what he was looking for in Renault. Jumping ship to McLaren and massively underperforming felt like the final nail in his F1 career coffin. It almost seemed like those two dreadful years in Woking left him damaged. But after Red Bull and AlphaTauri gave him a second chance, there’s this rekindled spark in him. The question is: Is it good enough to beat Verstappen?

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After rejoining the Red Bull family this season, the hype around seeing him back in Red Bull has been palpable. On The Race F1 Podcast, Scott Mitchell-Malm and Mark Hughes discussed what it would be like to see Ricciardo back in Red Bull at his absolute best. Discussing his speculative exploits against Perez, Hughes said, “Peak Daniel? Absolutely. He would wipe the floor with Perez if you just took Max out and put Peak Daniel in. But I don’t think we’ll ever see Peak Daniel again. I don’t know how much damage has been done.”

With Verstappen, it’ll be a different situation altogether. As per Mitchell-Malm, “Could Ricciardo beat Verstappen? I think in isolated circumstances, he can.” He means that, even at his absolute best, Ricciardo wouldn’t be able to beat Verstappen over a season. Yes, there might be standout performances—as was the case when he was in Red Bull. But it’ll never amount to more than what Verstappen can deliver. Having spent two-and-a-half years challenging Verstappen, Ricciardo has only himself to thank/blame for the Dutchman’s greatness.

“Stop It”: Max Verstappen Leaves Daniel Ricciardo Blushing With Hilarious Teasing Over Promised Transformation

How did Ricciardo push Verstappen to become the driver he is?

In his formative years in F1 and with Red Bull, it was natural for Verstappen to compare himself to Ricciardo. Having joined the team midway through the 2016 season, the Dutchman could only be second-best until 2018. But that season—Riciardo’s last in Red Bull—was where it all changed for Verstappen. It was all thanks to Ricciardo’s remarkable performances in the first half of the season, most notably his Monaco GP redemption victory. Seeing Ricciardo do well and not doing too well himself, Verstappen started doubting his driving style and abilities. 

In an interview, he said, “I’ve never asked myself the question of whether I was as good as I thought I was. But there are some unfortunate moments when you force yourself a little more.” The Monaco GP was the turning point for the now two-time champion. After witnessing a Ricciardo masterclass, Verstappen reflected, “I remember well when I hit the ‘reset’ button after the Monaco Grand Prix. I figured it was time to ‘throw it all away’ and start over.” The reset seems to have worked wonders for the reigning champion, so much so that he’s been unbeatable at Red Bull since.

If Daniel Ricciardo does return to Red Bull, how close do you think he could get to Verstappen?

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