The 2022 FIFA World Cup is in full swing and like billions around the world, even F1 drivers are heavily invested in this global spectacle. Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are also big football fans and closely follow it.
In an interview, the two revealed their favorite footballers’ names. Verstappen, who is Dutch, shares a good relationship with several players of their national team. This includes Liverpool center-back and former Ballon D’Or runner-up Virgil van Dijk.
The two-time F1 World Champion praised van Dijk for being an amazing defender and recalled how he visited him during the 2022 Silverstone GP. However, moving out of the Netherlands, Verstappen is a huge fan of French sensation Kylian Mbappe. The latter is already on course to achieving legendary status in the world of football and is expected to break numerous records as he grows older.
Verstappen went on to talk about how fast and explosive Mbappe really is. He added that being as athletic as Mbappe is something he would want to be.
Verstappen’s favorite players include van Dijk and Mbappe. Perez on the other hand has an answer that millions of people relate to. The Mexican driver revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are his favorite football stars, and refused to label the better player.
Sergio Perez not threatened by Daniel Ricciardo’s arrival to Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo left Red Bull in 2018 in order to pursue new challenges. However, it’s safe to say that his stint away from the Milton-Keynes-based outfit did not turn out the way he had imagined. After four difficult years, he has finally returned to Red Bull.
However, his now a reserve driver at the team with whom he won seven F1 races. Due to his immense popularity and huge fanbase, Ricciardo will be a huge asset to the team he’s driving for. He will spend the 2023 season on the sidelines, but his arrival has put Perez’s position in danger.
Baas! 💪🏽🔥
— Virgil van Dijk (@VirgilvDijk) June 30, 2019
A lot of people are speculating that if Perez does not perform well, Red Bull won’t hesitate to have Ricciardo replace him. The Guadalajara-born driver, however, is not threatened by the Aussie’s return to F1 or Red Bull.
Also read: “To stay at the top for so long”: Roger Federer names one F1 legend from whom he got really inspired
