Verstappen 'greedy' in Hamilton overtake - Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo believes Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen was too "greedy" during an overtake on Lewis Hamilton which ultimately ended his Bahrain Grand Prix. The Australian, however, says the stewards came to the correct decision by deeming it a racing incident.

Verstappen made up four places on the opening lap of the race in Sakhir, after starting 15th, but his fifth overtake would prove costly as he dived down the inside of Hamilton at turn one and clipped the Mercedes' front wing with his rear-left tyre, resulting in a puncture which caused further damage.

After securing third place at the chequered flag - having started ninth - Hamilton was heard labelling Verstappen a "dickhead" as he watched the incident back in the cool room.

Hamilton and Verstappen buried the hatchet ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix after the Dutchman had claimed that Hamilton had taken the "easy" option of blaming him due to his comparative inexperience.

Ricciardo agreed with his team-mate that the incident wasn't worthy of punishment, but hinted that Verstappen's eagerness had perhaps got the better of him.

"It didn't deserve a penalty, so that was fine," Ricciardo said. "It reminded me a little bit of me and [Nico] Rosberg in Budapest where Rosberg kept coming and I was on the exit kerb, and I had nowhere else to go.

"I think Max had the move done, I just don't think he needed to run Lewis all of the way to the kerb.

"I think regardless Max would have stayed ahead, he's just a little bit too greedy in my racing opinion.

"I heard some people say Lewis could have lifted and pulled out, but like you're there, unless you turned off the track or braked.

"It's easier said than done. I don't think because Lewis was so tight as well, he wasn't going to make turn two with any form of speed so even if Max hung around the outside, I think Max would have had him regardless but squeezed him a little bit too much."