Ricciardo hopes for fair title fight: 'I'd hate to see that'

As the title fight slowly moves towards its climax this season, other drivers are also increasingly being asked for their opinion on the title fight. Who do they think will win the title. Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton again. Daniel Ricciardo is also asked for his opinion.

It's been a long time since there was such an exciting title race in Formula 1. With six races to go Max Verstappen has a six point lead over his rival Lewis Hamilton. It can still go either way. Will Hamilton win his eighth world title or will Formula 1 get a new world champion for the first time since 2016?

For Ricciardo, it's clear how things should go. "Basically, I'm a fan of the approach - may the best win! As a Formula One fan, I obviously love the rivalry between Verstappen and Hamilton and their title duel. I see the drivers as equals and so do the race teams. It's a constant up and down with an uncertain outcome," the Australian told Speedweek.com.

Ricciardo was Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull Racing from 2016 to 2018 and has been racing against Hamilton in Formula One for a decade. The McLaren driver can therefore assess the two rivals well. In terms of popularity with fans, Ricciardo thinks Verstappen would prefer to be seen as champion. "People like a new face, so I see Max becoming the more popular champion. It would be his first title. It would be something different and that would be exciting for everyone. Max Verstappen as Formula One world champion, that would be a real feel-good story."

Most of all, however, Ricciardo hopes for a fair fight for the title. "What I would hate to see is bad luck deciding against Max or Lewis at the end. If the fight remains fair, then for me both would be deserving world champions."