HUNGARORING -- Daniel Ricciardo has suggested Max Verstappen is "a sore loser" who does not like being overtaken by his teammate after their collision on the opening lap of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Ricciardo had jumped from sixth to fourth at the opening corner and was on the outside of Turn 2 when Verstappen ran wide and into the sidepod of his car. While Verstappen continued, it terminally damaged Ricciardo's Red Bull and he retired from the race on the spot.
Immediately after the incident, Ricciardo took to the radio to ask: "If that's who I thought it is s---."
When Red Bull told him it was in fact Verstappen who hit his car, he replied: "F---, sore loser..."
Speaking in the TV pen after his retirement, Ricciardo said Verstappen was attempting a move that was never going to work.
"Not much else to describe or say, it was what it was," he said. "I saw I had a good run out of 1, there was a bit going on so I saw Valtteri on the inside so I could brake on he outside, thought 'I'll go here and defend that place'.
"Then I got hit. For sure it's not on -- that was amateur to say the least. Just frustrating, you know?"
The Red Bulls had both passed the slow-starting Lewis Hamilton in the opening moments, with Ricciardo undercutting both the Mercedes driver and Verstappen on the inside of Turn 1. Ricciardo is convinced Verstappen simply did not like seeing the other Red Bull get ahead.
"It's not like he was trying to pass, Valtteri was in front, I was on the outside, so there was no room. I don't think he likes when a teammate gets in front of him.
"You goot the whole race to try and repair a mistake but the pass wasn't on -- it wasn't a pass, it was a very poor mistake. I don't think there's an excuse for it. He tried to outside of Turn 1, it didn't work and he got his line taken away from him on the exit. All of a sudden he sees me go past, he thinks 'I've gotta fix this - oops I've crashed'. So, that's just the way it was."
When asked how the team will resolve the issue after the race, he said: "Obviously the team will do their bit and I'll do my bit. There shouldn't be too much but for sure we'll sort it out."
Verstappen was handed a 10-second penalty for the incident, but further punishment may follow after the race.