Max Verstappen wants to win the F1 Driver’s Championship four times in a row in 2024, but Christian Horner, the team manager of Red Bull, seems to have a different favorite.
Daniel Ricciardo, not record-breaking Max Verstappen, is the driver who has “first place in his heart,” according to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
A conversation between the 50-year-old and his kids took place in the most recent Drive to Survive episode available on Netflix. When he asked his daughter which driver she preferred, she said “all of them.”
But Horner actually had a surprising response when asked the same question, saying, “Daniel Ricciardo.” For the 2012 and 2013 seasons, the 34-year-old Australian was a member of Red Bull’s reserve team, Toro Rosso.
His two third-place finishes in the Driver’s Championships were his highlights during his time with Red Bull from the following season until 2018. After leaving the Renault team in 2019, Ricciardo went on to represent McLaren and Scuderia Alpha Tauri.
He might be scheduled for a comeback. His contract with the newly renamed Visa Cash App RB (VCARB) team expires at the end of the current campaign, but he is expected to drive for them in 2024. Sergio Perez could be replaced by him.
Horner’s choice of Ricciardo is unexpected considering how much success Verstappen has brought to Red Bull. The 26-year-old has won the Drivers’ Championship the last three times, with his 2023 campaign being the most successful in the sport’s history.
Red Bull has won the last two championships, and if they repeat this year, they could tie Lotus’ record of seven victories. Verstappen was previously regarded by Horner as the best driver in Formula One at the moment.
The Red Bull CEO stated in an interview with Motorsport Magazine last year that the driver has “just grown and grown” both as a person and as a driver. I believe the dexterity and aptitude have always been present. He’s just gained experience and rounded it out. Additionally, he has an amazing ability to think and handle other things while in the car.
“I believe he’s the complete driver because of his exceptional ability to read the race, care for tires the way he does, and comprehend what he needs to deliver strategically to make something work.
“We were aware of his exceptional talent, but we also needed to provide him with the means to realize that potential. Only time would tell what this talent would accomplish. And happily, we were able to accomplish that, and he made the best use of them. His actions over the past three years have been nothing short of extraordinary.
“I think Max, where he is at the moment is the best driver currently in Formula 1. He’s the world champion, and he is – without a shadow of a doubt – the very best driver Formula 1 currently has.”
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