Ricciardo sent Verstappen congratulations after Red Bull’s Sepang breakthrough

Daniel Ricciardo says he sent Max Verstappen and several Red Bull colleagues a message after the team’s breakthrough win at Sepang, to congratulate them and share his happiness.

Now a Ford ambassador, Ricciardo recounted the message on the *Cars and Culture with Jason Stein* podcast. Verstappen had taken Red Bull Powertrains-Ford’s first pole at Sepang and converted it into victory the next day, as the project became a race winner in its first season. Ricciardo said he knew something about what the team was building but could not comprehend all the work behind it.

Ricciardo has his own Sepang history: he won the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix there in a Red Bull one-two with Verstappen.