Rosberg tips Ricciardo for Ferrari move

Former Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg has tipped Daniel Ricciardo to reunite with Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari in 2019. Although Red Bull are keen to tie Ricciardo to a new deal, his current contract expires at the end of the year and he has also been linked to Mercedes.

Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas are similarly out of contract at the end of the year at Ferrari and Mercedes respectively, while Lewis Hamilton's new deal with the Silver Arrows remains unsigned.

Raikkonen says he has not lost the passion for racing and Vettel has regularly talked up their partnership, but Ferrari were comprehensively beaten in the 2017 constructors' standings, largely down to Raikkonen's performance.

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Ricciardo stunned Vettel in his debut Red Bull season, beating the then-reigning champion, who left for Maranello the next season, and Rosberg says the pair would make for a great partnership again with Ferrari.

"Ask me [about] individual drivers, where they should go: Ricciardo, I would say Ferrari," Rosberg said.

"I think he should go to Ferrari. It [Vettel and Ricciardo together] worked at Red Bull, didn't it, for one year.

"I'm not sure if Vettel is going to be too happy about him joining, because Ricciardo was faster than him in Red Bull.

"So, I don't know. But apart from that I think that would be a good choice for him, a good move."

Although Mercedes dominated the Spanish Grand Prix last time out, they have played second fiddle to Ferrari for much of the campaign, as the Scuderia have made further power gains in 2018.

"I'm very surprised because I know how incredible Mercedes is," Rosberg said of the shifting balance of power.

"I thought last year Ferrari, new regulations, maybe they just got a few things right and then Mercedes with time, with the development, would just completely disappear again.

"I'm completely surprised that Ferrari generally has the better car at the moment. I didn't expect that. They have done fantastically."