'Ricciardo ready to challenge Hamilton'

'Ricciardo ready to challenge Hamilton'

Originally written by Joas van Wingerden. This version is a translation.

Saturday 2 December 2017 17:02

He might be a touch biased considering he drives for his team, but Red Bull supremo Christian Horner is adamant that Daniel Ricciardo has all of the ability to challenge Lewis Hamilton for the championship - providing he is given the car to do so.

In a recent interview, Hamilton insisted that the three main challengers to his title in 2018 are Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, leaving the Aussie from the list.

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Ricciardo hit back, claiming that Hamilton has only dominated in recent seasons because of his car - not because he is a much better driver, and he believes there is very little to choose between the very best performers on the grid, despite what some fans may think.

Horner backed Ricciardo, stating that the Red Bull driver is perfectly capable of pushing Hamilton all the way next season, provided his team can give him a platform to go on and push the Mercedes car all the way.

In an interview with Sky Sports News, he said: "Lewis would be very foolish to underestimate Daniel.

"He's a phenomenal driver, he's arguably the best overtaker in the business. He's driven some great races this year and some great races in his time at Red Bull.

"He's absolutely ready for a championship challenge if we can provide him with the tools to do the job."