Daniel Ricciardo Will Not Appreciate Max Verstappen’s Conversation With Lando Norris
Sergio Perez’s contract with Red Bull will run its course at the end of the 2024 season. However, team boss Christian Horner has repeatedly said that Perez will retain his seat for the 2024 season. However, there are rumors that suggest otherwise. Recently, Max Verstappen also shared his thoughts on the possibility of Norris becoming a teammate.
Another contender for Perez’s seat is Daniel Ricciardo, who competed for Red Bull from 2014 to 2018. Verstappen and Ricciardo are well-known for being best friends on the racing grid and were teammates at Red Bull from 2016 to 2018.
🔴 Red Bull Team Principal confirms Sergio Perez as driver for 2024, but keeps options open for future line-up changes. Daniel Ricciardo’s potential return in 2025 not ruled out. 🏎️💥 #F1 #RedBullRacing #DriverLineup #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/xunwkhO3vT
— Every Lap Counts (@f1elc) August 22, 2023
Verstappen had said that he is glad he was to welcome Ricciardo back to the “family” as the returning star prepares to compete for Red Bull’s sister team AlphaTauri for the rest of the 2023 season.
Verstappen unsure of future teammate, but open to Norris
In a recent interview, Max Verstappen revealed that he and Lando Norris have discussed the possibility of becoming teammates in the future. The Dutch driver is under contract with Red Bull until 2024, while Norris has signed a deal with McLaren until 2025. Both drivers have said they are happy with the current team but have also expressed an interest in driving together in the future.
Max Verstappen says he and Lando Norris have “talked about” becoming team-mates later in their #Formula1 careers:
“We talk about it. But he’s contracted to #McLaren for a long time. We’ll see what happens in the future.”
[via: @SkySportsF1] #F1 #RedBull #ItalianGrandPrix pic.twitter.com/YCC0LjoWre
— McLaren F1 News 🏴🇦🇺 (@TheMcLarenZone) August 29, 2023
Asked about his strongest teammate, Verstappen said it was hard to say because every driver is different. He said everyone goes through different life stages, and it’s hard to compare teammates at different points in their careers.
Lando Norris jokes about Max Verstappen joining McLaren
McLaren driver Lando Norris jokingly said Max Verstappen could join McLaren if he grew sick of winning at Red Bull. Norris also stated that he wouldn’t want to be the second driver behind Verstappen since doing so would definitely mark him as a loser.
Talking about this, he said, “I’m not the guy that has so much confidence that goes ‘yeah, easy.’ I think it’s impossible. I don’t think anybody ever can just go, ‘yeah, I can beat Max’.”
Red Bull’s chief advisor, Helmut Marko, has suggested he would prefer Lando Norris over Lewis Hamilton. However, Marko admits that managing the Norris/Verstappen team could present challenges for Red Bull. He emphasizes how the team wants a clear hierarchy, which includes the fastest driver identified.
According to journalist Christian Menath, Helmut Marko has suggested he would like to partner Max Verstappen with Lando Norris one day 👀
“I had an interview with Helmut Marko during the summer break and I asked him about a ‘superteam’…”#F1 #Formula1 #McLaren #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/v11UZcdT7s
— McLaren F1 News 🏴🇦🇺 (@TheMcLarenZone) August 29, 2023
With two big names in its line-up, Red Bull risks both drivers prioritizing their individual success over team goals, similar to the rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
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