Even if you discount the 2016 campaign when Verstappen switched from Toro Rosso to Red Bull after a handful of races, Ricciardo came out on top the following year, finishing 32 points ahead of the four-time world champion.<\/p>\n
RANKDRIVERTEAMPOINTS1Lewis HamiltonMercedes3632Sebastian VettelFerrari3173Valtteri BottasMercedes3054Kimi RaikkonenFerrari2055Daniel RicciardoRed Bull2006Max VerstappenRed Bull1682017 Formula 1 drivers\u2019 championship<\/p>\n
Helmut Marko believes Ricciardo agreed to stay at Red Bull<\/a> before making a shock switch to Renault that ultimately spelt the beginning of the end of his time in Formula 1.<\/p>\n David Coulthard has explained why he thinks Ricciardo never maximised his potential<\/a>, but looking at his stats, he still had an F1 career many drivers would dream of.<\/p>\n In 257 starts, Ricciardo won eight races, claimed three pole positions, 17 fastest laps and 32 podium finishes.<\/p>\n However, according to journalist Matt Clayton, throughout his time on the grid, there was always one driver who made him very nervous at the start of every race.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Daniel Ricciardo\u2019s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend<\/a><\/p>\n Clayton was speaking on the Pit Talk Podcast about the Hungarian Grand Prix<\/a> and Fernando Alonso\u2019s<\/a> best result of the season for Aston Martin<\/a>.<\/p>\n Alonso jumped Lando Norris going into the first corner, using all the experience he\u2019s gained from more than 400 race starts and 32 victories to move briefly into P4 before eventually finishing fifth.<\/p>\n Clayton explained: \u201cOff the start, there\u2019s always been something magical about him because I feel that he always sees opportunities that split second before anybody else does.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd he\u2019s so decisive. You mentioned that move there, where he basically gave Norris an impossible situation to have to resolve in real time and knowing that he could put him in that situation before he did.<\/p>\n Grand Prix starts257Pole positions3Wins8Podiums32Fastest laps17Points1329Best championship result3rd (2014, 2016)Daniel Ricciardo\u2019s Formula 1 career<\/p>\n \u201cI remember having this chat with Daniel Ricciardo once, and we\u2019re talking about starts to races, and he would always say, know who\u2019s beside you, know the road in front of you, know the road behind you and know where Fernando is.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that was almost like one of his [mantras] because he knew that a little gap appears down the middle of two cars and a group, Fernando\u2019s probably in it.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve seen over the years the amount of brilliant starts where he\u2019s had two wheels on the grass and done all sorts of absolutely miraculous things in cars that shouldn\u2019t be up the front.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE: Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso\u2019s life outside F1 from net worth to Cars 2<\/a><\/p>\n The moment Fernando Alonso realised Daniel Ricciardo was an \u2018unbelievable\u2019 driver<\/p>\n Ricciardo joined the F1 grid in 2011 when he made his debut for backmarkers HRT.<\/p>\n It mirrored the Spaniard\u2019s journey into Formula 1 10 years earlier when Alonso had a remarkable debut campaign with Minardi<\/a>, which denied him a points-scoring finish, but earned him plenty of plaudits in the paddock.<\/p>\n However, it was the 2014 German Grand Prix where Ricciardo really caught Alonso\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-452779204-1024x681.jpg\")
Photo credit should read DIMITAR DILKOFF\/AFP via Getty ImagesDaniel Ricciardo always had to know Fernando Alonso was at every Formula 1 race start<\/p>\n![\"Fernando](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-1052453624-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Clive Mason\/Getty Images<\/p>\n