F1 News
Daniel Ricciardo taunts Verstappen over Las Vegas comments
- Toby McLuskie
Max Verstappen was critical of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, as he felt it was more focussed on the entertainment side of things than being a real race. Among other things, Verstappen described the race as "99 per cent show and one per cent a sporting event." After the Red Bull driver won the race, however, a cautious compliment could come off.
Daniel Ricciardo, AlphaTauri driver and former teammate of Verstappen, could not resist giving Max a few conversational swipes after the race. During a Q&A session in Qatar Airways' Paddock Club suite, he was asked what he thought of the race in Las Vegas. Ricciardo said he enjoyed the spectacle and added: "A few drivers have been a little bit ‘whatever’ about it. I think they’re just trying to rebel. Deep down they really like it, they just don’t want to admit it."
Couereu with the 'long first name'
Of course, Ricciardo was then asked who he was referring to, to which he sarcastically replied, "he has a really long first name," referring to the outspoken Verstappen. It seems Ricciardo's comments about secretly-too-fun in Vegas were true when Verstappen took victory from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on Saturday night. As the Dutchman crossed the finish line, he sang over the board radio 'Viva Las Vegas', the old cracker by Elvis Presley, the American rock and roll singer who lived in Las Vegas for a long time.