The art of overtaking is one of the most important aspects of racing in Formula 1 but it’s necessarily the most straightforward.
Modern F1 cars are bigger than ever before and the hope when the new regulations are introduced in 2026 is that it will be easier for drivers to pass each other.
Speaking to the official Formula 3 website, Red Bull junior driver Kacper Sztuka was asked about who he would include if he was building his perfect driver.
Unsurprisingly, he named racing legends Niki Lauda and Ayrton Senna for their intelligence and ability to drive in the rain.
Lewis Hamilton’s ability in qualifying was selected with the seven-time world champion holding the record for the most pole positions.
When Sztuka was asked about overtaking, initially he chose Max Verstappen before changing his mind and selecting his old teammate Daniel Ricciardo.
The Australian driver has had a lot more practice than the current F1 world champion in recent years.
The only overtaking Verstappen has done in the past few seasons has been to lap the likes of Ricciardo on his way to another victory.
READ MORE: Visa Cash App RB driver Daniel Ricciardo’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend
Red Bull junior driver says Daniel Ricciardo is better at overtaking than Max Verstappen
While Max Verstappen might be at the front of the grid every week right now, it’s not always been that way throughout his F1 career.
When he first joined Toro Rosso back in 2015, he was racing in a car that was very much in the middle of the pack.
He would have to battle his way through the field in order to score points and pull off some daring moves in the process.
However, he didn’t always judge his overtakes correctly as Lewis Hamilton discovered on several occasions during their ferocious title battle in 2021.
Daniel Ricciardo, on the other hand, has been overtaking his rivals on track throughout his time in F1 as unlike Verstappen he’s not been quite as quick in qualifying during his time on the grid.
While at Red Bull, Ricciardo pulled off some breathtaking moves and that earned him eight career wins in a car that hasn’t always been the quickest in the paddock.
The 34-year-old Australian needs to rediscover that form quickly with his current RB seat potentially under threat.
READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth and girlfriend to height
Daniel Ricciardo requires a quick turnaround in form to save his F1 career
Asked when building the perfect F1 driver who he would model his overtaking, Sztuka said: “Again, probably Max [Verstappen] for this one.
“Actually, maybe it is Daniel Ricciardo. He is so good at overtaking on track, and we always remember what he did in China [in] 2018.”
Despite Ricciardo’s overtaking prowess, he’s very unlikely to be Max Verstappen’s teammate in 2025 and realise his dream of returning to Red Bull.
Instead, he’s been outclassed by current teammate Yuki Tsunoda at nearly every race this season and when he finally looked on course to potentially score his first point of the season in China, Lance Stroll scuppered his chances from the safety car restart.
Rumours have already been swirling this season that he may be replaced by reserve driver Liam Lawson.
They appear to be wide of the mark right now, but Helmut Marko and the Red Bull hierarchy have a reputation for being ruthless in these situations.
The post ‘So good’: Red Bull junior driver says 0-point star is even better at overtaking than Max Verstappen appeared first on F1 Oversteer.