Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula 1 world champion, has been a member of the Red Bull team since 2016. Over the years, he has developed his skills and is now recognized as one of the top drivers in the sport. As the 2024 season approaches, Verstappen has revealed that he has been using the steering wheel design of his former teammate during his time with the team.
In 2016, when Verstappen joined Red Bull, Daniel Ricciardo was his teammate. Despite being relatively inexperienced at the time, Verstappen adopted Ricciardo’s steering wheel design philosophy and has continued to use it ever since.
Speaking about this recently, Verstappen admitted that Ricciardo’s steering wheel design has had a significant impact on his performance in Formula 1. He honestly acknowledged that he copied everything that was on Ricciardo’s steering wheel back then.
Since Ricciardo’s departure from Red Bull at the end of 2018, both drivers have had contrasting career paths. While Verstappen has continued to thrive and has won three world championships, Ricciardo’s career has experienced a decline.
Ricciardo is now aiming to make a comeback to the Red Bull team and sees the upcoming season with VCARB (AlphaTauri) as a stepping stone towards that goal.
Since securing a place back on the Formula 1 grid, the 34-year-old driver has made it clear that he is targeting the seat at Red Bull for the 2025 season. Currently, that seat is held by a former six-time Grand Prix winner, whose current contract is set to expire at the end of this year. The 2024 season holds great importance for Ricciardo as he strives to achieve his goal.
According to the Source firstsportz.com