Triple System One world champion Max Verstappen mentioned he can be glad to have both Sergio Perez or Daniel Ricciardo as a teammate subsequent season in feedback that did nothing to dampen hypothesis about doable change at Crimson Bull.
Perez, 33, has a contract for 2024 however his poor kind in comparison with Verstappen’s dominance of 16 wins in 19 races in 2023 has fuelled of speak about his future.
Skilled Australian Ricciardo, 34, was Verstappen’s teammate in from 2016 to 2018 and his return to the Crimson Bull fold with AlphaTauri this season leaves him because the favorite to interchange Perez.
Verstappen instructed reporters on the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos on Thursday that he had an ideal relationship with each.
“They’ve been nice teammates and it is less than me on the finish of the day to make these sort of choices as a result of I am very targeted by myself efficiency,” he mentioned.
“So if it is Checo subsequent 12 months, then nice. I’ve had an ideal working relationship with him but additionally personally I believe he is an ideal man. And if it is Daniel then additionally we’ll get alongside tremendous and now we have a good time.
“F1 generally is a powerful sport. You are asking these sorts of questions however perhaps additionally nothing occurs proper? We’ll see,” added the 26-year-old.
Ricciardo, who secured AlphaTauri’s finest results of the season when he completed seventh in Mexico final Sunday, instructed reporters there had been no talks with Crimson Bull about subsequent season.
“All of the stuff round my contract subsequent 12 months has been associated to AlphaTauri. I would say that is actually so far as that goes,” he added.
Crew boss Christian Horner additionally insisted after the Mexico race that Perez’s future was not contingent on whether or not he can safe second within the championship.
Perez is preventing for second place general and is 20 factors away from Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton with three races remaining. Crimson Bull have by no means ended a season with their drivers one-two within the standings.
“I am assured in Checo [Perez] that he can keep forward, as a result of I do assume that on common now we have the quicker automotive,” mentioned Verstappen.