Daniel Ricciardo Once Admitted to Being ‘Older Brother Bad Influence’ to Max Verstappen

Despite their on-track rivalry at Red Bull, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen developed great camaraderie owing to their similar sense of humor and their team’s countless off-track activities. Both loved to party and often engaged in antics with each other during their three seasons together as teammates.

Ricciardo reflected on the same in an episode of the Red Flags podcast last year. The hosts asked him whether he was Verstappen‘s ‘older brother-like figure’ and whether he was a ‘bad influence on him’, considering how nonchalant and funny the Dutchman had become over the years. Ricciardo agreed.

“I feel like, all the Red Bull stuff we did together, it was like racing caravans or doing stuff like that. We were always just egging each other on and I knew if I baited him into something, he was going to do it,” he added.

Ricciardo also highlighted how the duo often crashed on track, which made them seem like bitter rivals. While that was true to some extent, the Honey Badger revealed how it was just his former teammate’s inherent trait to be fierce with his racing approach, regardless of which driver he locked horns with — something he carries even today.

However, the Perth-born driver got to know that Verstappen was as “normal” as any other young driver off the track. Back in 2017-18. Ricciardo was the senior driver at Red Bull while Verstappen was just picking up the ropes at the pinnacle of motorsport. Cut to 2025, Verstappen is now a four-time world champion and will be teamed up with a youngster in Liam Lawson.

Ricciardo is Red (Bull),
So is Verstappen,
When they’re together,
Magic can happen!#F1 #ValentinesDay pic.twitter.com/oO9i1o3Bo7

— Formula 1 (@F1) February 14, 2018

The 27-year-old may have to essay the role Ricciardo played for him as Lawson will be the raw young talent, who would be looking to sharpen his skills while also trying to beat the behemoth that he has become in F1.

Verstappen and Lawson’s dynamic

There is a lot to talk about Lawson’s role at Red Bull, especially since Verstappen has a reputation for dominating teammates convincingly. The Kiwi driver may just have to play his second fiddle and bring in a solid haul of points right behind his world champion teammate.

However, Lawson seems eager to exceed expectations. While it’s a steep challenge, the 22-year-old appears as fearless as Verstappen was when he joined Red Bull in 2016. If that’s the case, Verstappen would likely embrace the challenge from Lawson, without it affecting their off-track relationship.

Lawson has been a Red Bull reserve since 2022, so he has established strong working relationships with everyone at Milton Keynes, including Verstappen. They won’t need an icebreaker, as Lawson is already well-integrated into the Red Bull family.

There’s also a chance that Verstappen could gain a new partner and friend, much like Ricciardo, to enjoy off-track moments with.