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Daniel Ricciardo believes the duel between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton was a boon to the sport. The Australian revealed that although he envied the Dutchman and missed being a part of the battle, he enjoyed the battle as a fan of the sport.
Expressing his envy over the 2021 championship battle, Ricciardo said:
“Of course, I’m jealous of him. But I’ve been for eight or nine years. So, this is nothing new to me. Of course, the thought of it is exciting. I’m a driver, but I’m still a fan of this sport. Putting envy aside, this duel is just great for Formula 1. I can’t cite a year in which two drivers have been locked in a head-to-head duel so often.”
Commending his former team-mate, the Australian wished he was a part of the fight as he was in his previous years at Red Bull F1. The 32-year-old McLaren driver was third in the championship battle, the last time Lewis Hamilton was defeated — in 2016 by Nico Rosberg.
Daniel Ricciardo believes Lewis Hamilton has not been contested so closely in a long time
Although the McLaren driver wished to be a part of the title fight, his inconsistent form in his maiden year at his new team didn’t allow it. The Australian believes the championship brought two drivers from different generations to duel it out, making the title battle diverse in terms of age and experience.
Describing the championship battle, Daniel Ricciardo said:
“It feels like the two have met at some point in 75 percent of the races. I wish I was in the middle of it. It’s been a long time since Lewis has been challenged like this. Max is no longer a youngster, but he belongs to the younger generation. Lewis, on the other hand, is one of the oldest drivers. It’s great to see two drivers from different ends of the spectrum battling it out.”
Rated as a potential world champion in his years at Red Bull, Ricciardo has had his fair share of victories against Hamilton. He, however, never had the competitive package and opportunities to contest the Briton on equal grounds.
