Verstappen wants Ricciardo to stay with Red Bull

Max Verstappen has admitted that he wants Daniel Ricciardo to stay with Red Bull as speculation continues to mount that the Australian driver may not sign a new contract with the team of the drinks manufacturer before his current deal expires next year.

Verstappen recently signed a new contract with Red Bull which will see him through to 2020, but Ricciardo has been stalling on signing on the dotted line, with Mercedes and Ferrari reportedly ready to swoop for his services.

The Dutchman is eager to retain his team-mate beyond next season.

"We have a lot of respect for each other," Verstappen told Speed Week.

"And frankly, in my racing career so far, I've never had that much to do with a teammate.

"Even if we give anything to fighting hard with one another on the track, Daniel is a great guy and we have a lot of fun next to the track.

"So I hope that we will be teammates for a very long time."

Red Bull suffered a few engine reliability issues last season, but are hoping to become competitors for Mercedes once again in 2018, and Verstappen thinks that his friendship with Ricciardo would still survive even if the duo became embroiled in a title rivalry.

"I think so," Verstappen said when questioned if the relationship would survive a rivalry.

"Because we respect each other. Sure, when you fight for the title it gets more intense, but in the end you come back to that mutual respect.

"You have to accept when someone is faster and I think we can do that. If one of us has a good race, the other one says that he really deserves it - and I think that's very important."