Ricciardo expected "worse" friendship with Verstappen

Daniel Ricciardo has admitted he expected to have a worse relationship with Max Verstappen as team-mates for Red Bull Racing, but now he has insisted they will stay friends despite the Aussie moving teams.

Ricciardo is moving to Renault for the 2019 season, with Pierre Gasly taking the Aussie's place alongside Verstappen.

Verstappen and Ricciardo spent almost three full seasons with each other at Red Bull, following the Dutchman's promotion from Toro Rosso in 2016.

The pair had some intense on-track moments, most noticeably crashing in Azerbaijan this year; but the two always got on very well off-track.

"Unless we're battling for the same bit of Tarmac (they can stay friends)," Ricciardo joked on his last Red Bull Racing podcast. "That could always spice it up! I'd say the relationship with Max and myself went better than, I'll be honest, I thought it would go.

"Just our personalities and self-belief. I really believe he thinks he's the best in the world and I believe I am. So, that can obviously clash. But we always managed at least 99% of the time managed to keep than in its own little place.

"It was very cool, it was a good, hard fight with him and I enjoyed it."

Verstappen has admitted he shares Ricciardo's feelings and says he will miss the Aussie.

"Daniel is in general a very positive person and always smiling," Verstappen said. "It's a good atmosphere to be around him. That's maybe not a lesson but having a good atmosphere in the team is important so I'll take that on board and try to create that with Pierre (Gasly)."