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Formula 1 Spanish GP
Ricciardo: I can handle Verstappen challenge
Daniel Ricciardo has faith that he will be able to hold his own against rising star Max Verstappen, and has played down fears of increased teammate tensions at Red Bull.
Jonathan Noble
Edited: May 13, 2016, 10:59 AM
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The Australian only found out he was having a new teammate for the Spanish Grand Prix the evening before it was announced that Verstappen and Daniil Kvyat were switching teams.
Although Verstappen arrives amid huge hype about being one of F1's future superstars, Ricciardo says he sees no reason to worry about what the Dutchman can do, and sees the situation as only a positive for him.
"I have confidence in my ability," said Ricciardo. "I don't want to be naive with these young guys coming up, even Daniil, I know he was quick on his day and I expect Max to be quick as well. But we will see.
"I feel now that I am driving well, I am happy with where I am, the people around me, the engineers, and the people who I really deal with on weekend I am happy with that crew.
"So I think I am in a good level to perform well, and we will see how it goes."
Positive pressure
Ricciardo believes that having someone of the calibre of Verstappen alongside him will be a good thing, as he says Red Bull's no-compromise policy of drivers only serves to push its drivers on.
"I think definitely that is something Red Bull always like to do," he said. "They want to push us and see really what we are made of.
"I guess when I went up against Seb [Vettel] in 2014, up until then, results wise I hadn't proven much. I had proven some speed and some people in the team knew that I could drive, but I hadn't proven I could get podiums or wins.
"Red Bull at the time, that was a bit of a small risk to them to put me up against someone like Seb [Vettel], and they saw that worked well for them. So they now have an opportunity with Max and that is what they have chosen to do.
"They like to see what we are made of. It is cool. I always took it as a challenge and something positive. It is an opportunity to show what you are really made of, and show the skills you have.
"I think Max recognises that and we will see over the next few races how he goes. Obviously Red Bull are always watching close. It is not only good for me, it is good for him as well."
Teammate relations
Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko said in the wake of the Kvyat/Verstappen announcement that part of the reason for the change was it defused a politically tense situation at Toro Rosso.
Relations between Verstappen and Carlos Sainz, and their sides of the garage, had been difficult at times, but Ricciardo played down talk that there could be repeat dramas following the Dutchman's arrival.
"I am not worried," he said. "I have had my fair share of teammates in the past. I have had some pretty good rivalries with some – Jean-Eric [Vergne] was a guy, we had a pretty strong rivalry with.
"But then we still respected each other off the track so we got through that pretty well and I am a pretty easy-going guy.
"The business is on the track, but off the track I just go about my thing. Max will feed in to the team how he does, but whichever way it is I don't think it will affect me or the team in any way."
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