Max Verstappen will celebrate his 200th F1 Grand Prix at his home race – the Dutch GP – in Zandvoort on Sunday. Throughout his journey, a lot changed, as he went from being the youngest driver in the sport’s history to becoming a three-time World champion by the age of 26. For a long time, he also had Daniel Ricciardo by his side.

Ricciardo paid a touching tribute to Verstappen via Red Bull’s website, as he reflected on their time together as teammates (2016-2018). The Aussie spoke about Verstappen’s talent, how he dealt with pressure at a very young age, and concluded by stating that he could go down in the history books as the greatest F1 driver of all time.

Verstappen was streaming with his friends when he got to know that Ricciardo had done a tribute for him. He proceeded to read while on the stream itself. For five minutes, the Red Bull driver quietly read what the Honey Badger had to say about him. In the end, an emotional Verstappen said, “That’s a very nice little article, just read it.” 

Verstappen shared a strong relationship with Ricciardo during their time together at Red Bull. Earlier this season, it was reported that they were close to being teammates again, but that move didn’t materialize. Still, their bond remains strong.

Ricciardo respects what Verstappen has done and is still doing

Ricciardo recalled how when he was young, respecting others’ achievements was not something that crossed his mind. In the cutthroat world of F1, it was all about outperforming opponents at any cost.

As he grew up, he came to understand the magnitude of Verstappen’s achievements. “There’s no ego in the way of that for me. It’s just a respect for what he’s done – and what he’s still doing,” the 35-year-old said.

Verstappen will suit up for his 200th F1 race in front of his home fans, as he looks to win in Zandvoort for the fourth year in a row.