Max Verstappen Speaks Out On Daniel Ricciardo's VCARB Contract Turmoil - 'Shouldn't Feel Sorry For Himself'

Verstappen offers support and admiration for Ricciardo amid uncertainty surrounding his F1 future.

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JUNE 05: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Visa Cash App RB and Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing prepare to take part in the Red Bull Unserious Race during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Canada on June 05, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) / Red Bull Content Pool

Amidst uncertainty surrounding Daniel Ricciardo's future in Formula 1, his former teammate Max Verstappen offers his support whilst speaking to the media ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix. As speculation grows that the upcoming race at the Marina Bay street circuit might be Ricciardo’s swansong with VCARB, Verstappen insisted that Ricciardo should not let the turmoil dampen his spirits.

Ricciardo, who opened up about the precariousness of his racing seat in an interview with Sky Sports F1, may indeed face an abrupt end to his current stint at VCARB. Verstappen, who raced alongside Ricciardo at Red Bull from 2016 to 2018, was vocal about his admiration for the Australian driver’s career achievements.

“Daniel’s a great guy. I think he has proven himself as a great F1 driver.

“He’s a friend of mine. I think, in general, always being in this kind of position is never nice. I don’t think he has to feel sorry for himself. Sometimes things may not work out the way you want them to in certain stages of your career but you still have achieved a lot - more than anyone could ever dream of in their lives.

“Even if this is the last race or whatever, you can still look back at something amazing that not many people can achieve and do something else maybe in life. Why not? Many more other race series or not.

“Maybe just chill back at the farm, have a lot of fun. He’s a great guy. It doesn’t really matter or not if you deserve to be here. A lot of people deserve to be here. Some don’t deserve to be here - that’s life. That’s how it is in all kinds of sports.”

If Ricciardo's exit from VCARB becomes a reality, it is widely speculated that Liam Lawson will be his successor.

Ricciardo’s teammate at VCARB, Yuki Tsunoda, echoed Verstappen’s sentiments, offering his support and recognizing Ricciardo’s contribution to the sport.

“I think the same as Max. Like I said, I respect him a lot. We will see how it goes.

“I like him. We all want to see him racing as well. It doesn’t matter if he deserves or not. Like Max says, he achieved a lot of things. Let’s see.”

As the Singapore Grand Prix approaches, all eyes will be on Ricciardo, not only to see how he performs but also to witness how these speculations unfold.