Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, former teammates at Red Bull Racing, engaged in a karting race at Honda’s annual Thanks Day at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit. The event, attended by Honda athletes including Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Ricciardo, and Yuki Tsunoda, featured various activities, including a go-kart race.
During the go-kart race, Ricciardo decided to stir up some chaos by cutting a corner and intentionally colliding with Verstappen in the subsequent turn. Verstappen, dropping to the last position, humorously accused his ex-teammate of “trying to kill everyone” on the track, likening his actions to that of a “terrorist.”
Despite this incident, Verstappen had a dominant season in 2023, winning 19 out of 22 races and securing his third consecutive Drivers’ Championship with ease. His 575 points were sufficient for Red Bull to clinch the Constructors’ Championship even without Perez’s points.
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After winning the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen expressed gratitude to Red Bull for an “incredible year” but acknowledged the difficulty of replicating such a performance in the future. He emphasized the team’s dedication to developing a competitive car for the upcoming season, anticipating challenges from rival teams. Despite the inevitable competition, Verstappen emphasized the importance of enjoying the successes of the current year.