Ricciardo, speaking to Sky F1 as part of the Hungarian GP coverage, also warns that Verstappen's career could "plateau"
Monday 25 July 2016 12:12, UK
Daniel Ricciardo has admitted to Sky Sports his relationship with Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen could buckle under the strain of a head-to-head world championship fight.
And Ricciardo, speaking in an exclusive interview which was broadcast as part of Sky F1's coverage of the Hungarian GP this weekend, has warned Verstappen's precocious growth into a top-level driver may "plateau".
Despite their partnership being just three months old, Verstappen and Ricciardo are already widely considered to be the strongest driver pairing on the grid, with thoughts already fast-forwarding to their contest next season when the sport's 'rules refresh' is expected to return Red Bull to the rank of title contenders.
"For now it has been really good," Ricciardo said of the pair's relationship. "But you can never predict what will happen if you are fighting for a world championship.
"If next year we have a great car and can fight for a world title and we are going at hammer and tongs, then I'm sure at some point we will cross paths.
"But it's how you deal with it. If you can face defeat with maturity then I don't think there should be any conflict. Let's see what happens - I just hope we can fight for the title."
Although Ricciardo is ten points ahead of the teenager in the Drivers' Championship, Verstappen has the edge over the Australian from their six races together at Red Bull by a score of 77 points to 64.
Yet despite his team-mate's burgeoning reputation and immediate impact at Red Bull, topped by the 18-year-old winning his first race for the team to become the youngest-ever winner in F1, Ricciardo is unfazed by the challenge presented from the other side of the team's garage.
"He's good. It's always hard to say how good but certainly he's very good," Ricciardo told Sky F1. "Because he's young it will be interesting to see if he keeps getting better at such a quick rate or if he plateaus."
And asked if he believes he can defeat Verstappen, the broad smile as much as the words themselves told the answer.
"Let's see. Every driver believes in himself..."
