Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo are two of the most renowned Red Bull drivers who are famous worldwide for their racing talent. Apart from this, Ricciardo and Verstappen are two of the most iconic drivers that fans admire and look up to the most. However, did you know that there was a time when Verstappen looked up to his former teammate?

In a recent YouTube video, Max Beaumont reacted to the Dutchman looking in awe at the Australian driver during an interview. The footage is from their Red Bull days when the two led the charge for the Milton Keynes-based team. As of now, one driver is still with Red Bull, another left the team in 2018.

In the video, Beaumont states, “He [Max Verstappen] really looks up to him and admires him [Daniel Ricciardo]” as Ricciardo tells what’s written on the back of Lewis Hamilton’s helmet. In the video, Ricciardo answered, “still I rise,” while Verstappen looks up at him and watches in awe.

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Ricciardo joined Red Bull before Verstappen in 2014. The Honey Badger replaced the outgoing compatriot Mark Webber. Being the senior in the team, he welcomed the Dutchman in 2016, when the now 25-year-old replaced Daniil Kvyat in the middle of the season coming from Red Bull’s sister team, Toro Rosso [now AlphaTauri].

Their partnership soon became famous and people started to call them “Maxiel.”

How did Max Verstappen fare against his then-teammate, Daniel Ricciardo?

Even though Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo shared some good years together in Red Bull, it wasn’t all hunky-dory
in the team. Despite the mutual respect between the two, their rivalry reached an all-time high in 2018.

The duo started together in Red Bull in 2016, the season Ricciardo finished in P3 behind Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. Surprisingly, Verstappen finished in P5, despite it being his first year on the Austrian team.

The 2017 season again went in favor of the Australian as he picked up 200 points as compared to the Dutchman’s 168. Furthermore, Ricciardo finished a place ahead of his then-teammate in P5 behind two Mercedes and Ferrari drivers.

Things got heated in 2018 when the duo saw their rivalry take a different high. Even though they were good to each other off the track, the on-track rivalry was something to look for. The 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was one such example as the two Red Bulls took each other out after repeated tussles.

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Ricciardo left Red Bull for Renault at the end of the 2018 season, while Verstappen remained in the team and has now picked up two F1 world titles. Despite this, whenever the duo meets each other in the paddock, their wholesome friendship is still quite evident.