Ricciardo and Verstappen are set to face off this season

Ross Gibson

Current wisdom maintains that racer Daniel Ricciardo should be focusing on a win over Max Verstappen this year rather than concerning himself with which team he’ll be driving with in 2019.

There has been no end of talk in recent years over the pressure coming down on Ricciardo to perform successfully, and many people feel that he’s at a point where he will have to make a serious decision on what to do next.

But a number of people in the industry feel more strongly about his potential victory in a Verstappen future race than his choice of team in the coming years. The racers have drawn comment from:

  • Racers
  • Sports pundits
  • Tipsters

Ricciardo is currently under an RBR deal. However, this agreement is set to wrap up at the end of this coming season. As a result, he may be faced with a number of decisions on where to go next. There are potential openings with Mercedes and Ferrari, both names in the industry that speak for themselves. These options would be opening up in 2019, so Ricciardo still has some time to make his mind up. And while he has acknowledged the pressure from various sides for him to make the right move, he’s still got time until the middle of the season before he has to start making these decisions.

Verstappen and Ricciardo Are Set to Compete

Australian racer Mark Webber has commented that Ricciardo is better off focusing on a win over Verstappen. He made his remarks at the Bathurst 12 hour in New South Wales, where he was representing Porsche. Given Ricciardo’s calibre as a racer, he can afford to put off his decisions for a little while. His talent is widely recognised, and it would be likely that the other teams competing for his skills are considering a number of other great racers. As things stand, there’s plenty of time for all involved to make considerations on their next move, including Max Verstappen and Ricciardo.

It’s also worth considering the fact that Ricciardo shows little interest in the politics that surround the world of racing. His primary concern is winning, and that’s exactly as it should be. The choice of which team he races for comes second to that consideration. However, the choice of the team can make a big difference in a driver’s ability to win consistently. While beating Verstappen is, of course, one of his main priorities, he will still have to put in a lot of consideration regarding his next team.

Verstappen Promises to Be a Serious Opponent

Other players have fallen foul of entering a feud dynamic with opponents. It can become a serious hindrance to career progression and is a feature of the politics surrounding the world of Red Bull racing. However, conventional wisdom holds that Ricciardo knows better than to shoot himself in the foot in this manner. Racers and other pundits familiar with the world of racing certainly seem to think so. That said, there’s no getting away from the fact that a victory in a Verstappen F1 race would put him in very good stead for the future.