Ricciardo and Verstappen: 58 Races Together. Nine Wins. Just One 1–2.

Ten years ago, Daniel Ricciardo beat Max Verstappen by 2.443 seconds at Sepang, delivering a result their Red Bull partnership would never repeat.

Across 58 Grands Prix together, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen won nine races. Only once did they finish first and second.

October 2, 2026 marks ten years since that afternoon at the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix. For a pairing remembered for close racing, big victories and occasional collisions, Sepang stands alone in their shared record.

They fought for it before it became a win

Before Red Bull inherited the lead, its drivers were already fighting each other.

On lap 39, Verstappen attacked Ricciardo for second. They raced wheel to wheel, with Ricciardo holding the position. Two laps later, race leader Lewis Hamilton suffered an engine failure, leaving Ricciardo leading Verstappen in a Red Bull 1–2.

Both stopped under the resulting Virtual Safety Car. Ricciardo remained ahead and completed the 56 laps with Verstappen 2.443 seconds behind. Nico Rosberg finished third.

Hamilton’s retirement created the opportunity. Ricciardo’s defense meant he was the Red Bull driver best placed to take it.

Nine wins, but only one sweep

Their partnership began at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix and ended after Abu Dhabi in 2018. That covered 17 races in 2016, followed by full seasons of 20 and 21 races.

Verstappen contributed five victories during that period; Ricciardo added four. Red Bull won twice in 2016, three times in 2017 and four times in 2018.

Yet none of the other eight victories came with the second Red Bull finishing runner-up. They shared other podiums, but occupying both of the top two steps happened only at Sepang.

The wait outlasted their partnership. Red Bull didn’t score another Grand Prix 1–2 until Imola in 2022, when Verstappen won ahead of Sergio Pérez.

Sepang was one of nine victories for the Ricciardo–Verstappen pairing. It was their only complete sweep.