Verstappen: Red Bull wouldn't be better with Ricciardo

Max Verstappen does not believe Red Bull's fortunes would have been vastly improved in 2019 if Daniel Ricciardo was still on the team.

Ricciardo departed Red Bull for Renault this season, but the French team's fortunes have not gone as hoped and they are likely to finish a place lower in the constructors' standings than 2018.

While Verstappen has enjoyed his most consistent season to date, Pierre Gasly struggled alongside him and was replaced by Alexander Albon during the summer break.

With inexperienced team-mates and significant internal turnover, Verstappen says developing the RB15 has not been optimal, but doubts Ricciardo's experience would have changed too much.

"I do not think Daniel would have made a large contribution to that," Verstappen told Ziggo Sport.

"I do think that last year we were able to test two different setups on the Friday. In the end you could then take the best combination, or choose to go one direction.

"Especially if you now go with a rookie to a circuit he does not know, you cannot expect him to work on the best setup straight away. He will get to know the track first.

"Now it if often to my side of the garage to try different things, but because we are quite limited on how much we can drive, we cannot do a lot.

"In the end the car has to be developed further using the wind tunnel, and the setup will not change that much.

"We need new wings, a new floor, everything needs to be in constant development, but I think we were not as strong in that as in previous years."

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