Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen are great rivals, but even better friends; so it is no surprise to see some banter between them. And, at the sprint race at the Italian Grand Prix, the McLaren driver had a few jokes about his former Red Bull teammate.

The Dutch driver crossed the line in second place but will start on pole as Valtteri Bottas was given a penalty. However, the 23-year-old won’t be letting his guard down as Ricciardo is just behind in P2.

Both are known to push each other to the limit. However, since Ricciardo has an Italian background, he sarcastically stated Max will let him have his first win of the season.

Daniel Ricciardo thinks Max will let him pass due to his Italian heritage

Ricciardo was starting his sprint race from fifth on the grid. But as the chequered flag was raised, he found himself in P3. However, it got even better for the Australian as Bottas’s penalty sees him gain a place for the Italian Grand Prix.

After the sprint race, Ricciardo said, “Max has won a few too many races this year so he said tomorrow because of my Italian heritage as well, he’s not gonna fight too hard.”

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Can Verstappen keep Daniel behind him at Monza?

The Red Bull prodigy is optimistic about earning another victory this season, further retaining his lead in the title race. However, with Ricciardo starting in second place, Verstappen knows the threat his former teammate can pose to his chances of winning.

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The 23-year-old is hoping to keep the McLaren driver in his rearview mirrors and grab twenty-five points for the Milton-Keynes-based outfit.

Can Ricciardo find the gap on the Red Bull driver to take the lead as soon as the lights go out? Or will Verstappen do everything to prevent that from happening and come out on top at Monza this weekend? Let us know in the comments below.

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